Artem Hrot, founder of M13 FIGHTS, hosted a bare-knuckle combat tournament on a river barge in Kyiv on September 5. The event featured roughly ten bouts across several combat disciplines staged directly on the vessel in the middle of the Dnipro River.
Hrot, who also founded the Memoria motorcycle club, told news agency RBC-Ukraine that organizing the sixth installment of M13 FIGHTS under current conditions presented significant challenges due to security concerns, military shelling, and venue restrictions.
Organizers initially scheduled the combat sports card for August 8. However, a deadly strike on a drone exhibition occurred one week prior to that date, killing numerous military personnel and forcing organizers to delay the show indefinitely.
Negotiations and a temporary pause in hostilities enabled promoters to select the new September date. Hrot said the tournament took place without any air-raid alarms sounding in the capital, benefiting from calm conditions and clear weather.
The concept of holding combat sports on a barge developed several months earlier while Hrot was walking through a Kyiv park. Looking out from the Glass Bridge, a prominent pedestrian span overlooking the Dnipro River, he observed a commercial sand barge traveling along the water.
After learning that the vessel belonged to businessman Yuriy Brodskyi, promoters contacted him to request permission to use it. Hrot said he sought to create a unique and striking event format that audiences in Ukraine had never seen before.
Veteran support and sports promotion
Addressing the role of combat sports for military personnel and war veterans, Hrot explained that the event provided a supportive environment among peers. He noted that the fights brought together opinion leaders who promote athletic training within the armed forces.
Hrot said such gatherings help define the position of veterans within broader Ukrainian society while drawing public attention to their specific needs. He added that the competition offers a healthy outlet for adrenaline and testosterone among service members.
Guinness World Record ambition
Looking ahead, the M13 FIGHTS founder announced plans to set an official Guinness World Record involving military veterans, subject to broader geopolitical developments. He referenced a 2018 event in Dubai where 100 people pulled a vessel, expressing confidence that a team of Ukrainian veterans could replicate or surpass that feat by towing a barge along the Dnipro River.
Hrot highlighted a trial charity initiative conducted one week earlier in Bukovel, a resort area in western Ukraine. During that event, 15 veterans with limb amputations swam in a lake to pull two inflatable rubber boats carrying children undergoing cancer treatment or recovering from physical injuries.
Following the success of the Bukovel swim, organizers began analyzing the logistical requirements for towing a river barge. Hrot said the team will attempt to assemble a roster of strong veteran swimmers to execute the record attempt in the near future.
Background on combat sports and venue
Bare-knuckle fighting is a full-contact combat sport in which competitors fight without traditional boxing gloves. In Ukraine, veteran-led sports organizations and martial arts promotions have increasingly organized competitive athletic events to support physical rehabilitation and community building for former service members.
The Dnipro River is Ukraine's longest waterway, bisecting the capital city of Kyiv. The Glass Bridge, officially known as the Kyiv Pedestrian-Bike Bridge, spans the Saint Volodymyr Hill area and provides panoramic views of the river corridor, making it a focal point for city landmark views.
