Canadian mixed martial artist and wrestler
Arjan Singh Bhullar[5] (born May 13, 1986) is a Canadian mixed martial artist currently competing in the heavyweight division of ONE Championship, where he is the former ONE Heavyweight World Champion. He has also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Bhullar is also a former freestyle wrestler and collegiate wrestler. In freestyle, he was a CIS national champion in 2009[6] and represented Canada at the 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 World Championships, the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the 2007 Pan American Games and the 2012 Summer Olympics. In folkstyle, Bhullar is a two-time NAIA champion.
Wrestling career
Early life and collegiate wrestling
Bhullar was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. He started wrestling at a young age.[7] As a collegiate wrestler, he competed for the Simon Fraser Clan at Simon Fraser University, a NAIA university at the time. He had a successful career while wrestling at 285 pounds, placing third in 2007[8] and becoming champion in 2008 and 2009 at the NAIA Wrestling Championships. He was also named Canada's wrestler of the year and NAIA outstanding wrestler in 2009.[9][10] At the 2009 CIS Championships, Bhullar became the first wrestler to ever win the NAIA and CIS titles in the same year.[11]
Freestyle career
For five years, Bhullar was a member of the Canadian national team and was also the 120 kg national champion from 2008 to 2012.[12] In 2006, Bhullar placed third at the World University Championships.[13] In 2007, he won a bronze medal at the Pan American Games and competed at the World Championships. He competed again at the World Championships in 2009 and 2010, in the latter year he also won the championship at 120 kg of the Commonwealth Games.[14] In 2012, he became the first Canadian wrestler with South Asian ethnicity to represent Canada at the Summer Olympics. He placed 13th.[15]
Coaching
Bhullar was one of the founding coaches of the UFV Cascades wrestling team at University of the Fraser Valley.[12] He is also a member of his family's training center, Bhullar Wrestling Club.[16]
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
In August 2014, Bhullar had his first amateur fight as a mixed martial artist. He turned pro in November of that year fighting with the Battlefield Fight League.[17] Over the next few years, Bhullar competed exclusively in his native Canada and remained undefeated with a record of six wins. Arjan won the vacant BFL Heavyweight Title with a victory over Blake Nash on October 17, 2015. He defended the title twice.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Bhullar made his promotional debut at UFC 215 on September 9, 2017, against Luis Henrique.[18] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[19]
Bhullar's next fight was against Adam Wieczorek on April 14, 2018, at UFC on Fox 29.[20] After controlling the first round with his wrestling, Bhullar would get caught with an omoplata early in the second round, officially losing the fight via submission in round 2.[21]
For his third fight with the promotion, Bhullar faced Marcelo Golm on October 27, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 138.[22] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[23]
Bhullar next faced Juan Adams on May 4, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 151.[24] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[25] The fight marked the last fight of his prevailing contract with the UFC.[26]
ONE Championship
On July 3, 2019, it was announced that Bhullar signed a deal with Asia-based MMA promotion ONE Championship, and was expected to make his promotional debut against Mauro Cerilli at ONE Championship: Dawn of Heroes on August 2, 2019.[27][28] However, Cerilli pulled out of the bout due to staph infection and the fight was cancelled.[29] The fight eventually took place at ONE Championship: Century on October 13, 2019, with Bhullar winning by unanimous decision.[30]
ONE Heavyweight World Champion
On February 1, 2020, it was announced that Bhullar would be challenging Brandon Vera for the ONE Heavyweight World Championship at ONE Championship: Code of Honor on May 29, 2020,[31] but the fight was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bout was rebooked to take place at ONE Championship: Dangal on May 15, 2021.[32] He defeated Vera via second-round technical knockout to win the ONE Heavyweight World Championship, becoming the first fighter of Canadian/Indian descent to win an MMA world title.[33][34]
After a contract dispute,[35] Bhullar eventually signed a new contract with the organization[36] and was scheduled to face interim champion Anatoly Malykhin for the ONE Heavyweight World Championship unification bout at ONE 161 on September 29, 2022.[37] However, Bhullar withdrew due to an injury in training, It was announced that Bhullar had surgery on the arm two weeks prior and the bout was cancelled.[38][39] The bout was rescheduled for March 25, 2023, at ONE Fight Night 8.[40] In turn, the bout was removed from the event due to a shift in broadcaster commitments and the bout will be rescheduled again to a later date.[41] The bout was scheduled on July 15, 2023, at ONE Fight Night 12.[42] However, for unknown reasons, the bout was moved to ONE Friday Fights 22 on June 22.[43] Bhullar lost the bout and the title via TKO in the third round.[44]
Post championship
Bhullar faced Amir Aliakbari on March 1, 2024, at ONE 164.[45] He lost the fight via disqualification due to timidity in round three.[46]
Personal life
Bhullar is of Indian Punjabi Sikh descent.[47]
Through his MMA career, Bhullar has developed a friendship with fellow Indo-Canadian and former WWE champion Jinder Mahal.[48]
