'For Me, It's Just a Fight, I've Always Been a Fighter': Anshul Jubli Confident Ahead of His Much-anticipated UFC Debut

MMA is threatening to take the centerstage in India’s sporting ecosystem with Anshul Jubli being at the forefront. The Uttarkashi-born fighter is all set to make his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut which is going to boost the already growing fanbase of MMA in India. The sport didn’t get such big attention in the country in the past but Jubli is eying to make a statement when he faces Mike Breeden in his first-ever clash in the UFC on October 21. The 28-year-old star will enter the fight with an unbeaten 7-0 streak in MMA.

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Jubli worked as a tuition teacher to make a living at a very young age when he moved to Delhi from Dehradun, and when the time he started thinking about taking MMA professionally and there was no stopping him. He had to overcome several hurdles in his way and earned the big contract after winning the Road to UFC tournament in the lightweight division.

The ace MMA fighter beat Indonesia’s Jeka Saragih to get into the UFC. However, he had to wait for months to get an opportunity in the octagon ring of the UFC.

Ahead of his debut, Jubli spoke with News18 Sports in a select media interaction, about his preparations for the big fight and said he will take it only as any other fight.

“It’s not like, you have a bigger fight so you have to think differently. Every day, every camp throws some challenges to you, so you have to deal with those challenges accordingly. Yes, I changed so many things in this camp but it is not because this is the biggest fight in my life. For me, it is just a fight. I am a fighter, I have always been a fighter and I want to win this fight. I will win this fight. For my preparation, I have done everything which is necessary to go there,” Jubli told News18 Sports.

The ace fighter said that he made some changes but refused to disclose them before the debut clash. “I have changed so many things, but not because this is my debut in UFC. I can’t disclose that right now, maybe after the fight, I will reveal the changes that I’ve made in my game plan. I have done it according to my opponent,” he added.

Earlier this year in August, Jubli in an exclusive interview with News18 sports had shared details about his training and diet he follows.

“In combat sports, it is off camp and in camp, we avoid oily food in the off camp. While in camp, almost three months ahead of the fight, I have to drop the weight and keep a clean diet. I don’t understand it completely as my nutritionist takes care of it. The training schedule is almost the same both on and off camp. 3 hours in the morning and evening. It’s just the intensity I put in training, it increases when the fight is in a few days. The strength and condition, sparring rounds get increased in the camp,” he had told News18.

UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi will be broadcast LIVE and exclusive on 21st October 2023 on Sony Sports Network; the main event will feature UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev taking on UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski