Four Indian MMA Fighters featured in fifth UFC Academy Combine

22 March 2024

UFC, the world-renowned mixed martial arts organization, has unveiled plans for its fifth UFC Academy Combine, an exclusive talent evaluation platform designed to identify top MMA prospects for potential scholarships to the UFC Academy.

Scheduled for March 21-22 at the state-of-the-art UFC Performance Institute (UFC PI) in Shanghai, China, the event will see aspiring fighters undergo rigorous testing across 72 individual metrics spanning 12 categories. These evaluations will cover technical proficiency in wrestling, grappling, and striking, as well as physical attributes such as explosive power, strength, reaction time, and aerobic capacity.

Utilizing a proprietary scoring system, UFC aims to facilitate transparent comparisons among participants, ultimately determining an overall ranking for each athlete based on their performance.

Selected invitees will have the chance to earn full scholarships to the UFC Academy, a premier MMA talent development program administered by the UFC PI. Notably, past Combine attendees who secured scholarships have gone on to sign contracts with UFC, including notable fighters like Rong Zhu, Aoriqileng, and Sha Yilan.

Approximately 40 athletes are expected to participate in this edition of the UFC Academy Combine, marking the first time that contenders from India, Indonesia, and Singapore will join the event. Notable Indian participants include Clinton Kenin D'Cruz, Roshan Mainam, Sumit Kumar, and Punyajit Likharu, competing across flyweight and bantamweight divisions.

Highlights from the Combine will be shared on the UFC India Instagram account (@UFCIndia) to provide fans with a glimpse into the action-packed event.

Following the conclusion of the Combine, UFC will announce the recipients of scholarships to the UFC Academy, further solidifying its commitment to nurturing and developing emerging talent within the global MMA community.