Three Indian Fighters set to compete at Road to UFC Season 3

03 May 2024

Three Indian MMA fighters are set to compete at the Road to UFC 3 Tournaments.

UFC has announced the highly anticipated launch of the third season of ROAD TO UFC, offering Asia's top MMA prospects a chance to elevate to the global stage. The opening round of this groundbreaking tournament will unfold on May 18 and 19 in Shanghai, China, hosted at the UFC Performance Institute (UFC PI).

The season will see Indian MMA Fighters Priya Sharma, Angad Bisht and Kiran Singh competing in the tournament. Matrix Fight Night Flyweight champion Angad Bisht will be seen competing in the Flyweight tournament and he will be taking on John Almanza (Philippines) in the opening round.

Both Priya Sharma and Kiran Singh will compete in the Strawweight category. Kiran Singh takes on Feng Xiaocan (China) and Priya Sharma takes on Dong Huaxiang (China) in the opening round. 

ROAD TO UFC represents a unique "win and advance" format that presents 32 outstanding MMA athletes across four weight classes with a direct pathway to securing a coveted UFC contract. Additionally, the event will feature four non-tournament bouts to further enhance opportunities for emerging talents.

Since its inception, ROAD TO UFC has successfully propelled eleven participants into the UFC, including winners from Seasons 1 and 2 along with finalists and non-tournament bout victors.

The roster of participants from various Asian nations includes fighters from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Mongolia, all set to showcase their skills at the prestigious UFC PI Shanghai.

The UFC PI Shanghai, established in 2019, spans an impressive 93,000 square feet, making it one of the largest state-of-the-art MMA training and development facilities globally. The venue supports the growth of MMA in mainland China and the broader Asia-Pacific region, offering opportunities through the UFC Academy Combine and serving as an Official High Performance Advisor to the Chinese Olympic Committee.

Road to UFC Season 3 Fight Card 

Flyweight (>56.7kg)

• Jiniushiyue (China) vs Dong Hoon Choi (South Korea)
• John Almanza (Philippines) vs Angad Bisht (India)
• Toki Matsui (Japan) vs Ruel Panales (Philippines)
• Kiru Singh Sahota (India) vs Yin Shuai (China)

Bantamweight (>61.2kg)

• Soo Young Yoo (South Korea) vs Shohei Nose (Japan)
• Daermisi Zhawupasi (China) vs Ren Ozaki (Japan)
• Kyu Sung Kim (South Korea) vs Tokitaka Nakanishi (Japan)
• Jieleiyisi Baergeng (China) vs TBD

Featherweight (>65.8kg)

• Shin Haraguchi (Japan) vs Jun Young Hong (South Korea)
• Zhu Kangjie (China) vs Tatsuya Ando (Japan)
• Masuto Kawana (Japan) vs Young Jae Song (South Korea)
• Xie Bin (China) vs Hamid Amiri (Afghanistan)

Women's Strawweight (>52.2kg)

• Huang Feier (China) vs Miki Motono (Japan)
• Feng Xiaocan (China) vs Kiran Singh (India)
• Priya Sharma (India) vs Dong Huaxiang (China)
• Shi Ming (China) vs Ye Dam Seo (South Korea)

Non-tournament bouts:

• Women's flyweight: Wang Cong (China) vs Paula Luna (Peru)
• Women's flyweight: Yan Qihui (China) vs Lisa Kyriacou (Australia)
• Lightweight: Won Bin Ki (South Korea) vs Tatsuya Saika (Japan)
• Welterweight: Bahatebole Batebolati (China) vs Han Seul Kim (South Korea)

What are your predictions? Let us know in the comments below.