Ukraine is keeping the fight alive, with one MMA fighter retrieving the world championship belt to prove it.
Mixed martial arts fighter Yaroslav Amosov recovered his belt from his war-torn home in Irpin, a suburb that was recently retaken by Ukrainian forces.
Posted to his Instagram, Amosov appears from the depths of his home by climbing up a ladder dressed in full military gear.
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As he reaches the top he unveils the championship belt that he had kept safe in a plastic bag, raising it up in triumph.
In the caption, he wrote: “A belt with great history! Now I definitely won’t give it away. My mother hid it safely and it survived the bombings.”
Irpin lays west of Kyiv and has been subject to intense bombing and frequent shelling over the past few weeks.
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Amsov is currently signed to Bellator, where he was scheduled to defend his title on May 13 against Michael Page, however, he withdrew from the fight in order to stay and defend his country.
Bellator MMA president Scott Coker responded in a statement, saying: “Like the rest of the world, we've been shocked by the tragic events in Ukraine and the thoughts of everyone at Bellator MMA are with Yaroslav and all the Ukrainian people during this time.
"We wish he and his family the best and look forward to seeing him return safely to happier times, both inside and out of the Bellator cage."
Amosov’s current record sits at 26-0-0, the longest active undefeated streak in all of MMA and just three wins behind Khabib Nurmagomedov’s all-time record of 29-0-0.
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In a video posted on his Instagram last month, Amosov spoke out against the Russian operation in Ukraine.
He said: “You [Russia] are not saving us, we are defending from you.
“Russian troops came to our territory and say that they are 'saving.' I wonder, whom did you save in this particular house?
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"And that's just the small part of it. Orphanages, civilians are also getting hit.”
In a separate post on his Instagram, he is seen among a group of Ukrainian military holding the title belt aloft.
Yaroslav Armosov joins a notable list of key figures who have chosen to stay in Ukraine to defend their country.
Boxing star Vasyl Lomachenko turned down the chance to regain the lightweight world titles against Australian George Kambosos Jr in order to stay and defend Ukraine.
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While fellow boxer and Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko has been a notable public face in the resistance against Russia - even pictured marrying a Ukrainian couple while on the front line.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/Yaroslav AmosovTopics: Australia, Bellator, Ukraine, Russia