The Road to UFC tournament has been an excellent feeder system to the big leagues of the UFC. Clearly, it’s working in the Asian market as it has produced Indian fighters such as Anshul Jubli and created a platform from where fighters from the region can compete. Winning the tournament is a sure-fire way to get into the UFC and the subsequent season also saw fighters such as Sumit Kumar and Rudra Pratap Singh raise their stocks, even in losses. This year, Indian fans have a lot to cheer for as there are 4 fighters representing the nation in the tournament. We’ve got former MFN flyweight champion Angad Bisht, former SFL powerhouse Kantharaj Agasa, MFN vet Priya Sharma and SFL vet Kiran Singh.
Angad Bisht
A devastating flyweight grappler from Dheradun, Angad Bisht has been crushing the competition in Matrix Fight Nights and the SFL. With a 9-3 record, Bisht is always looking for a finish, whether a slick submission or beating his opponent down. He’s got a knack for snatching up rear-naked chokes with 3 of his last 4 fights ending with that particular submission. He’s an adept scrambler with excellent takedowns although he does tend to telegraph them a bit too much. Although Angad isn’t the most technical with his standup, he’s got concussive power and can definitely hurt guys on the feet. Check out his MFN title-winning effort in the video below.
Kantharaj Agasa
Another crushing grappler from South India, Kantharaj Agasa is an old-school fighter, for better or worse. He’s tough, durable and possesses some of the best submission skills in the country. In the 8 years that he’s been a professional, Agasa has only seen the judges score cards 5 times. A consummate finisher, he favours the guillotine and throws in an armbar or two. He recently competed at ONE championship where he picked up his first legitimate knockout, laying out Thales Nakassu. It’ll be interesting to see how he does in the tournament as he’s a bit long in the tooth but his grit and determination will shine through. He’ll be taking on the seasoned former Road to UFc competitor, Jieleyisi Baergeng. You can watch him send Thales Nakassu to the land of wind and ghosts below.
Priya Sharma and Kiran Singh
A seasoned striker, Priya Sharma will look to capitalise on a 5-1 record at the Road to UFC tournament. She will be competing in the strawweight division along with the last fighter to make the cut, Kiran Singh. Both women will be competing on May 18/19 and are the first Indian women to make it to the tournament. As far as their competition goes, they’re going to have a tough time as the UFC has matched them up with serious Chinese prospects.
