Watch: The Moment India's Anshul Jubli Made History By Earning His First UFC Contract
MMA fighter Anshul Jubli, who hails from Uttarkashi, became only the second Indian to earn a UFC contract. He did so by defeating Jeka Saragih of Indonesia in lightweight division.
MMA fighter Anshul Jubli scripted history on Sunday as he became only the second martial artist from India to bag a UFC contract. Anshul defeated Jeka Saragih of Indonesia in the Road to UFC finals to earn himself a contract lightweight division of the championship. Anshul, who hails from Uttarkashi, joins Bharat Khandare as only the second Indian to have bagged a UFC contract. Jubli wasn't the favourite, going into the contest, but pulled up his socks to produce the performance of a lifetime.
"Namaste UFC....we have arrived! INDIA IS HERE! Captain India is here. We have arrived and we are not stopping here, we are going all the way to the top. See, what we have just done. First-ever road to UFC lightweight winner from the Himalayas of Uttrakhand, from the great country India," he said after the win.
INDIA's ANSHUL JUBLI GETS IT DONE!!#RoadToUFC #UFCVegas68 pic.twitter.com/ByjGBG1AvX
— UFC India (@UFCIndia) February 5, 2023
Anshul didn't just become the second Indian citizen to enter the UFC roster after Bharat Kandare but also the first Indian citizen to earn a victory at a UFC event. Other than that, Anshul has also become the first Indian to win a UFC developmental tournament, and the first Indian to have triumphed at a professional MMA fight in a major promotion outside that ook place outside Asia.
A vicious victory for the King of Lions
— UFC (@ufc) February 5, 2023
Anshul Jubli gets the finish and a contract at #UFCVegas68!!
[ Live now on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/izmgKwrmBS
"The game plan was to keep the distance, hurt him in the ground and dominate. And that's exactly what we've done, we've dominated this fight, and we've proved why we are here, why Indian fighters deserve to win the UFC, and I'm gonna keep evolving, keep grinding, and my plan is to be one of the best in the world, and I will do whatever it needs to be done," said Jubli to the broadcasters.
"It is very important. Our Indian MMA community has really worked hard to send a boy into this promotion (UFC) to represent India. They have done a great job and I'm gonna make them proud," Anshul added.
Thousands of Indian MMA fans, who had watched UFC for years, celebrated the moment.