Arjan Singh Bhullar (born May 13, 1986) is an Indo-Canadian
mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...
currently competing in the
heavyweight division of
ONE Championship
ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...
, where he is the current
ONE Heavyweight World Champion. He has also competed in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
.
Bhullar is also a former
freestyle wrestler
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestling i ...
and
folkstyle wrestler. As a freestyle wrestler, has represented Canada at the
2007,
2009,
2010 and
2011 World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
, at the
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games (Hindi: 2010 राष्ट्रमण्डल खेल), officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Delhi 2010, was an international multi-sport event that was held in Delhi, India, ...
, at the
2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic C ...
and at the
2012 Summer Olympics. In folkstyle, Bhullar is a 2-time
NAIA Champion and 1-time freestyle
CIS Champion from Canada.
Wrestling career
Early life and Folkstyle
Bhullar was born and raised in
Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The ...
. He started wrestling at a young age. As a
collegiate wrestler, he competed for the
Simon Fraser Clan
The SFU Red Leafs or Simon Fraser Red Leafs teams (formerly the Simon Fraser Clan) represent Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of NCAA Division II and are the only Canadian university affiliate ...
at
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located ...
, a
NAIA university at the time. He had a successful career while wrestling at 285 pounds, placing third in 2007 and becoming champion in 2008 and 2009 at the
NAIA Wrestling Championship
The NAIA Wrestling Championship is the annual tournament to determine the national champions of NAIA men's collegiate wrestling in the United States and Canada. It has been held annually since 1958. The tournament consists of both a team national ...
s. He was also named Canada's Wrestler of the year and NAIA outstanding wrestler in 2009.
At the 2009 CIS Championships, Bhullar became the first wrestler to ever win the
NAIA and CIS titles in the same year.
Bhullar won a gold medal at the
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games (Hindi: 2010 राष्ट्रमण्डल खेल), officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Delhi 2010, was an international multi-sport event that was held in Delhi, India, ...
. Arjan represented Canada at the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Giving back to wrestling, Arjan is one of the founding coaches of the
University of the Fraser Valley
The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), formerly known as University College of the Fraser Valley and Fraser Valley College, is a Canadian public university with campuses in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission and Hope, British Columbia. Founde ...
varsity wrestling program. The UFV Cascades compete in the CIS.
Freestyle career
For five years, Bhullar was a member of the Canadian National Team and was also the National Champion since 2008 to 2012 at 120 kilograms.
In 2006, Bhullar placed third at the World University Championships. In
2007, he won a bronze medal at the
Pan American Games and competed at the
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
. He competed again at the
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
in
2009 and
2010, in the latter year he also won the championship at 120 kg of the
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games, often referred to as the Friendly Games or simply the Comm Games, are a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exce ...
. In
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
he became the first Canadian wrestler with South Asian ethnicity to represent the National Freestyle Wrestling Team at the
Summer Olympics. He ended up placing 13th.
Coaching
Bhullar was one of the founding coaches of the
UFV Cascades
The UFV Cascades are the athletic teams that represent the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, British Columbia and currently compete in the Canada West conference of U Sports. The Cascades field varsity teams in basketball, golf, soc ...
wrestling team at
University of the Fraser Valley
The University of the Fraser Valley (UFV), formerly known as University College of the Fraser Valley and Fraser Valley College, is a Canadian public university with campuses in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission and Hope, British Columbia. Founde ...
.
He is also a member of his family's training center; Bhullar Wrestling Club.
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. 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 has defended the title twice.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
In May 2017, Bhullar signed with the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
becoming the first fighter of
Indo-Canadian
Indian Canadians are Canadians who have ancestry from India. The terms ''Indo-Canadian'' or ''East Indian'' are sometimes used to avoid confusion with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Categorically, Indian Canadians comprise a subgroup of ...
descent to sign with the company.
Bhullar made his promotional debut at
UFC 215
''UFC 215: Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on September 9, 2017 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Background
The promotion was initially planning a PPV even ...
on September 9, 2017, against
Luis Henrique. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Bhullar's next fight was against
Adam Wieczorek
Adam Wieczorek (born February 5, 1992) is a Polish mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight (MMA), Heavyweight division. He formerly competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Mixed martial arts career
Early ...
on April 14, 2018, at
UFC on Fox 29
''UFC on Fox: Poirier vs. Gaethje'' (also known as ''UFC on FOX 29'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on April 14, 2018, at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Background
After pr ...
. After controlling the first round with his wrestling, Bhullar would eventually get caught with an omoplata early in the second round, officially losing the fight via submission at 1:59 of round 2.
For his third fight with the promotion, Bhullar faced
Marcelo Golm
Marcelo Golm (born 15 September 1992) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of the Bellator MMA. He has also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of November 22, 2022, he is #7 in the ...
on October 27, 2018, at
UFC Fight Night 138
''UFC Fight Night: Volkan vs. Smith'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 138'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that was held on October 27, 2018 at Avenir Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
...
. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Bhullar next faced
Juan Adams
Juan Alejandro Arcienego-Adams (born January 16, 1992) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and currently competes in the heavyweight division of the PFL. Adams formerly competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Backgroun ...
on May 4, 2019, at
UFC Fight Night 151
''UFC Fight Night: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 151'' or ''UFC on ESPN+ 9'') was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on May 4, 2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontari ...
. He won the fight by unanimous decision. The fight marked the last fight of his prevailing contract with the UFC.
ONE Championship
On July 3, 2019, it was announced that Bhullar signed a deal with Asia-based MMA promotion
ONE Championship
ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...
, and was expected to make his promotional debut against Mauro Cerilli at
ONE Championship: Dawn of Heroes on August 2, 2019. However, Cerilli pulled out of the bout due to staph infection and the fight was cancelled. The fight eventually took place at
ONE Championship: Century on October 13, 2019, with Bhullar winning by unanimous decision.
ONE Championship Heavyweight Championship
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, but the duel was canceled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. The bout was rebooked to take place at
ONE Championship: Dangal on May 15, 2021. He defeated Vera via second-round technical knockout to win the ONE Heavyweight World Championship, becoming the first fighter of Indian descent to win an MMA world title.
After a contract dispute, Bhullar eventually signed a new contract with the organization and is expected to defend his belt in a unification bout in the summer of 2022.
Bhullar is scheduled to face interim champion
Anatoliy Malykhin for the
ONE Heavyweight World Championship unification bout at
ONE 161
''ONE 161: Petchmorakot vs. Tawanchai'' was a Combat sport event produced by ONE Championship that took place on September 29, 2022 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.
Background
The event was originally expected to be head ...
on September 29, 2022. However, Bhullar withdraw due to suffering an injury in training, It was announced that Bhullar had surgery on the arm two weeks ago and the bout was cancelled.
Personal life
Bhullar is of
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
Punjabi Sikh descent.
Through his MMA career, Bhullar has developed a friendship with pro-wrestler, former WWE champion and fellow
Indo-Canadian
Indian Canadians are Canadians who have ancestry from India. The terms ''Indo-Canadian'' or ''East Indian'' are sometimes used to avoid confusion with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. Categorically, Indian Canadians comprise a subgroup of ...
Jinder Mahal
Yuvraj Singh Dhesi (born July 19, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand, under the ring name Jinder Mahal.
Having started his career on the independent circuit, Mahal joine ...
.
Championships and achievements
Mixed martial arts
*
ONE Championship
ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...
**
ONE Heavyweight World Championship (one time, current)
*Battlefield Fight League
**BFL Heavyweight Championship (one time)
Freestyle wrestling
*
United World Wrestling
United World Wrestling (UWW) is the international governing body for the sport of amateur wrestling; its duties include overseeing wrestling at the Olympics. It presides over international competitions for various forms of wrestling, including ...
** 2012 Germany Grand Prix Gold Medalist
**
2012 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament Gold Medalist
**
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games (Hindi: 2010 राष्ट्रमण्डल खेल), officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Delhi 2010, was an international multi-sport event that was held in Delhi, India, ...
Gold Medalist
**
2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic C ...
Bronze Medalist
** 2006 World University Championships Bronze Medalist
** 2005 World Junior Championships - 5th place
** 2004 Pan American Championships Gold Medalist
* Wrestling Canada Lutte
** 2012 Canadian Olympic Team Member
** 2012 Canadian Senior National Champion
** 2011 Canadian Senior World Team Member
** 2011 Canadian Senior National Champion
** 2010 Canadian Senior World Team Member
** 2010 Canadian Senior National Champion
** 2009 Canadian Senior Wrestler of the Year
** 2009 Canadian Senior World Team Member
** 2009 Canadian Senior National Champion
** 2008 Canadian Senior National Champion
** 2007 Canadian Senior World Team Member
** 2006 Canadian Junior National Champion
** 2006 Canadian Junior World Team Member
** 2005 Canadian Junior National Champion
** 2005 Canadian Junior World Team Member
Collegiate wrestling
*
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...
**
NAIA Outstanding Wrestler (2009)
**
NAIA 285 lb National Champion
out of Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located ...
(2009)
**
NAIA 285 lb National Champion
out of Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located ...
(2008)
**
NAIA 285 lb National 3rd Place
out of Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located ...
(2007)
*
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
U Sports (stylized as U SPORTS) is the national sport governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree-granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is the Ca ...
**
CIS
Cis or cis- may refer to:
Places
* Cis, Trentino, in Italy
* In Poland:
** Cis, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, south-central
** Cis, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, north
Math, science and biology
* cis (mathematics) (cis(''θ'')), a trigonome ...
130 kg National Champion
out of Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada, with three campuses, all in Greater Vancouver: Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located ...
(2009)
Mixed martial arts record
, -
, Win
, align=center, 11–1
,
Brandon Vera
, TKO (punches)
,
ONE: Dangal
,
, align=center, 2
, align=center, 4:27
,
Kallang
Kallang is a planning area and residential town located in the Central Region of Singapore.
Development of the town is centered around the Kallang River, the longest river in Singapore. Kallang Planning Area is bounded by Toa Payoh in the ...
, Singapore
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 10–1
, Mauro Cerilli
, Decision (unanimous)
,
ONE: Century Part 2
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, Japan
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 9–1
,
Juan Adams
Juan Alejandro Arcienego-Adams (born January 16, 1992) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and currently competes in the heavyweight division of the PFL. Adams formerly competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Backgroun ...
, Decision (unanimous)
,
UFC Fight Night: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 8–1
,
Marcelo Golm
Marcelo Golm (born 15 September 1992) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight division of the Bellator MMA. He has also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of November 22, 2022, he is #7 in the ...
, Decision (unanimous)
,
UFC Fight Night: Volkan vs. Smith
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Moncton, New Brunswick
Moncton (; ) is the most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. Situated in the Petitcodiac River Valley, Moncton lies at the geographic centre of the The Maritimes, Maritime Provinces. The ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 7–1
,
Adam Wieczorek
Adam Wieczorek (born February 5, 1992) is a Polish mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight (MMA), Heavyweight division. He formerly competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Mixed martial arts career
Early ...
, Submission (omoplata)
,
UFC on Fox: Poirier vs. Gaethje
,
, align=center, 2
, align=center, 1:59
,
Glendale, Arizona, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 7–0
,
Luis Henrique
, Decision (unanimous)
,
UFC 215
''UFC 215: Nunes vs. Shevchenko 2'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on September 9, 2017 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Background
The promotion was initially planning a PPV even ...
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anch ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 6–0
, Joe Yager
, Decision (unanimous)
, Battlefield Fight League 48
, April 29, 2017
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Coquitlam, British Columbia
Coquitlam ( ) is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Mainly suburban, Coquitlam is the sixth-largest city in the province, with a population of 148,625 in 2021, and one of the 21 municipalities comprising Metro Vancouver. ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 5–0
, Chris Catala
, TKO (punches)
, Hard Knocks 51
, October 14, 2016
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 4:29
,
Calgary, Alberta
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 4–0
, Ryan Pokryfky
, Decision (unanimous)
, Battlefield Fight League 45
, September 17, 2016
, align=center, 5
, align=center, 5:00
,
Coquitlam, British Columbia
Coquitlam ( ) is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Mainly suburban, Coquitlam is the sixth-largest city in the province, with a population of 148,625 in 2021, and one of the 21 municipalities comprising Metro Vancouver. ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 3–0
, Blake Nash
, TKO (doctor stoppage)
, Battlefield Fight League 39
, October 17, 2015
, align=center, 2
, align=center, 5:00
,
Coquitlam, British Columbia
Coquitlam ( ) is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Mainly suburban, Coquitlam is the sixth-largest city in the province, with a population of 148,625 in 2021, and one of the 21 municipalities comprising Metro Vancouver. ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 2–0
, Jon-Taine Hall
, Decision (unanimous)
, Hard Knocks 44
, June 28, 2015
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Calgary, Alberta
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 1–0
, Adam Santos
, TKO (punches)
, Battlefield Fight League 33
, November 7, 2014
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 2:22
,
Coquitlam, British Columbia
Coquitlam ( ) is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Mainly suburban, Coquitlam is the sixth-largest city in the province, with a population of 148,625 in 2021, and one of the 21 municipalities comprising Metro Vancouver. ...
, Canada
,
See also
*
List of current ONE fighters
The ONE Championship (formerly known as "ONE Fighting Championship") promotion was started in 2011.
This list is an up-to-date roster of those fighters currently under contract with the ONE Championship brand. Fighters are organized by weight clas ...
References
External links
*
*
Wrestling Canada profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhullar, Arjan
1986 births
Living people
Canadian Sikhs
Canadian male mixed martial artists
Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling
Mixed martial artists utilizing freestyle wrestling
Canadian people of Indian descent
Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Canada
Wrestlers at the 2007 Pan American Games
Wrestlers at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
Wrestlers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Olympic wrestlers of Canada
People from Richmond, British Columbia
Sportspeople from British Columbia
Canadian male sport wrestlers
Pan American Games bronze medalists for Canada
Commonwealth Games medallists in wrestling
Pan American Games medalists in wrestling
Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters
Medalists at the 2007 Pan American Games
ONE Championship champions