Yaroslav Amosov has become accustomed to rushing women and children to safety, consoling those weeping for lack of food and the sight of lifeless bodies.
By the time he steps into the cage at Dublin's 3Arena on Saturday night, where his welterweight title and undefeated 26-0 record will be on the line, it will be a year and a day since Russia invaded his Ukraine homeland.
After a 36-hour drive that lead his family to safety, Amosov went all the way back and joined the frontline.
Eleven months ago, Bellator announced that due to him "actively defending his home country of Ukraine", Amosov would not be able to compete in his first title defence against Michael "Venom" Page in London.
A week later, Amosov helped reclaim his hometown from the Russian forces in The Battle of Irpin. The following day, remembering that his mother buried keepsakes in a basement in the family home, he returned to the now dilapidated region.
In footage that has since gone viral, he emerged from the rubble with a plastic bag, which after being opened, revealed his golden welterweight championship of the world.
The decision to return to fighting was not one that was made lightly.
Amosov's friends and family convinced him to return to the spotlight to spread Ukraine’s message to the world.
Although he is candid when retelling his experiences of the war, it only takes a glimpse into his eyes to recognise the pain and hardship he’s faced over the last 12 months.
"It’s affected me in many different ways," Amosov told RTÉ Sport, with the assistance of a translator.
"I guess I’m a little…not cold…but more indifferent to some degree. Your life changes, your mindset changes, not only mine but everyone in Ukraine. It makes you reevaluate what’s important in life. It puts things into perspective.
"Now, when people tell me they have problems, I kind of laugh at it. They don’t really know what problems are. You never really know what problems are until you’re in the middle of a war."
"It changes you."
The champion is a firm believer in humanity’s ability to adapt.
Even in the most morbid conditions, beyond the barricades and trudging through trenches, the macabre became commonplace for the 29-year-old.
"I think the hardest thing for me was watching people cry because they’re hungry and they don’t have food, or watching women and children running for safety, and worse, seeing children dying. Those are thing that you never get used to."
The location of Amosov’s rematch with Logan Storley has produced a polarising discourse in terms of its reaction to asylum seekers amidst the invasion of Ukraine.
Anti-immigration protests formed in Dublin and across the country. In December, former UFC double champion Conor McGregor tweeted his support for the people of East Wall, who staged protests following the housing of asylum seekers in the area.
On the other hand, thousands took to the streets last weekend in support of migration and diversity, with three representatives of mixed-martial-arts gym Team KF - head coach Chris Fields, former UFC fighter Cathal Pendred and prospect Taka Mhandu - acting as stewards at the demonstration.
Praising the hospitality of the Irish to his fellow Ukrainians, Amosov was pleased to see the rally in Dublin last week, and offered the following to those wishing to stop the influx of refugees into Ireland.
The level of discomfort that they feel pales in comparison to having 500-pound bombs dropped on you
"It’s understandable that some people would be upset about it and not want to let these people in, but they need to keep in mind, these people aren’t moving because they want a change of scenery; they’re moving because they have to get to safety," he explained.
"It’s our responsibility, as much as we can, to help people in need - and these people are definitely in need. If they have been to these war zones, if they put themselves in these peoples’ shoes, they would understand that the level of discomfort that they feel pales in comparison to having 500-pound bombs dropped on you."
As one of the best welterweights in the world, boasting one of the best records in the entire sport, Amosov had a lot to fight for even before 24 February, 2022. Yet, now, as an icon of Ukrainian resistance due to his role in the war, he has become something way more than that - something that transcends sport.
So, what message does he want to send the world about what’s happening in Ukraine?
"I want to make sure that the people remember that the war is still on, the danger remains and people are still dying. Sometimes with the news cycle different things happen and people tend to move on, to forget. That’s understandable because they are not the ones that are suffering through it," he said.
"Just remember, this crazy guy, Putin, attacked Ukraine unnecessarily and unprovoked. He launched a full-scale attack. If we don’t try to stop him today, he could be coming to your country. What would stop him moving on if he successfully takes Ukraine?
"People need to understand that. We’re talking about an unstable guy with a huge army, that really doesn’t care about what he does and what the world have to say about it. It’s important for us to remember this and to stand together and stop this now before he’s in your front yard."
