Indian fighters at Road to UFC: Somesh Kamra gives insights into the selection

Road to UFC is just around the corner and it is bound to be a huge platform for MMA talent from Asia to break the glass ceiling. For the uninitiated, ROAD TO UFC is a ground-breaking “win and advance” tournament that gives top MMA prospects from Asia a pathway to a UFC contract. Eight mixed martial arts athletes will compete in each of four men’s weight classes: flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight.

UFC announced 32 participants for the tournament recently and from India, Anshul Jubli and Pawan Maan Singh will be in action. One of the names that were involved extensively in the filtering process of Indian MMA fighters for Road to UFC was Somesh Kamra. The Superhuman Gym Founder has been working with the UFC for quite some time now and he notes that a long list of names was thrown into the mix before narrowing it down to two.

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“My discussion with the matchmakers was extensive and we had plenty of names that were thrown on the table. We then figured out who would be the best and possible matchups versus the Koreans, Indonesians, and Chinese fighters. It was a pleasure putting this together,” Somesh noted in an exclusive interview with LockerRoom.

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Detailing further, Somesh pointed out a recurring issue with the fighters in India.

“A lot of fighters, managers did reach out to me asking what they could do to make the cut. But I truly feel it's about the perseverance and attitude towards the game that counts. Sadly, a lot of fighters from our country start training when they get an opportunity to fight. In reality, at the UFC, we don't work that way. We need to see activity, quality, and hunger,” he added.

Though only two fighters have been featured from India for Road to UFC, India is indeed something that the promotion is looking into. Somesh notes that by 2023, the number will be going up.

“We have plans to do this program again and hopefully I would plug in 5-7 Indian fighters in 2023. You need to understand, that I have dropped hints of UFC looking at the Indian market (in October 2021) in an interview, I'm assuming nobody took that seriously. The fighters that took that seriously and worked on their game are currently selected for the Road to UFC. Hopefully next time around, I see more motivated fighters that I could push into the program,” he added.

How to watch Road to UFC in India 

Watch the LIVE coverage of Road to UFC on SONY TEN 1, SONY TEN 2 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi), and SONY TEN 4 (Tamil and Telugu) channels on 9th and 10th June 2022 from 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm (IST)

What do you think of Road to UFC and the Indian fighters selected for the event? Let us know in the comments below.

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1 Comments

The Weapon

You gotta be the best to beat the best and both Anshul nd Pawan Sir are the best India have at the moment. As Somesh Sir has quoted its more of an mind set and attitude towards the game that matters the most. This is just a beginning and an huge opportunity to make our mark, I wish both the contenders to be on the top of their game and get the full time contract with UFC and finish what Bharat Sir has started by winning the fight for Indian MMA fans. ????????????????????????