Anshul Jubli: Uttarakhandi MMA Fighter

Anshul Jubli, known by his nickname “King of Lions,” is an Indian professional mixed martial artist competing in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is only the second Indian citizen ever signed by the UFC, after Bharat Khandare, and holds the distinction of being the first Indian fighter to win a bout inside the UFC octagon.

His journey from a soldier's son moving between postings across India to becoming the country's most recognisable UFC fighter – has made him one of the biggest names in Indian combat sports.

Anshul Jubli was born on 13 January 1995. His native village is Bhatwari, in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand's Garhwal region, though his birth itself is often recorded as having taken place in New Delhi due to his father's postings. His family's roots trace back to Jubbal in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla district, which is how the surname “Jubli” came into his lineage.

His father served in India's Border Security Force (BSF), and frequent transfers meant Jubli spent his childhood moving through several Indian states before his family eventually settled in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. As a self-described “fat kid” who faced bullying growing up, he initially turned to sport for confidence, drawing inspiration from revolutionary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and originally aspiring to join the Indian Army, for which he began preparing for the Combined Defence Services (CDS) and Services Selection Board (SSB) examinations.

In 2015, a friend's recommendation introduced him to MMA, and by 2017 he had begun training formally in the sport – a decision that would completely redirect his career path.

With no MMA training facilities available in his hometown, Jubli moved to Delhi and joined Crosstrain Fight Club under head instructor Siddharth Singh, one of India's pioneering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts, where he built his grappling and wrestling foundation. He later trained in boxing at Tokas Boxing Club under coach Rohit Tokas to sharpen his striking.

To support himself financially during this period, Jubli worked as a tuition teacher in Delhi, training around his teaching schedule while chasing his fighting career – a grind that has since become a defining part of his underdog story.

Jubli made his professional MMA debut in 2019 at Matrix Fight Night (MFN), the Indian promotion founded by Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff. Over the next two years, he built a perfect record across five bouts on the MFN circuit, winning by decision, TKO, and submission – a run that established him as one of India's top lightweight prospects and set up his entry into the global Road to UFC tournament.

The promotion has also become a platform for emerging Uttarakhand fighters, including Digamber Singh Rawat, who later captured the MFN Lightweight World Championship.

In 2022, Jubli entered the Road to UFC Lightweight Tournament, Asia's premier UFC talent pathway. He advanced to the semi-finals after opponent Patrick Sho Usami was disqualified for missing weight, then defeated South Korea's Kyung Pyo Kim via split decision to reach the final.

In the final, held at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivak on 4 February 2023, Jubli faced Indonesia's Jeka Saragih and won via TKO in the second round. The victory earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and, more importantly, a UFC contract – making him only the second Indian in history to be signed by the promotion.

Jubli's win over Jeka Saragih in February 2023 didn't just earn him a contract – because that Road to UFC final was itself broadcast as an official UFC card, the victory also made him the first Indian fighter ever to win a bout under the UFC banner, a landmark moment for Indian MMA.

Jubli's first fight as a signed UFC roster member came against American fighter Mike Breeden on 21 October 2023, at UFC 294 in Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. At the weigh-ins, Breeden came in 3.5 pounds over the lightweight limit at 159.5 lbs, so the bout proceeded at catchweight, with Breeden fined 30% of his purse, paid out to Jubli.

Jubli dominated the opening two rounds with sharp striking and grappling, but Breeden rallied in the third round, using vocal intimidation tactics that Jubli later admitted affected his composure, before finishing the fight with a knockout in round three. It was Jubli's first professional loss, ending a perfect 7-0 run.

After more than a year on the sidelines, Jubli returned to the octagon against Australian prospect Quillan Salkilld on 8-9 February 2025, at UFC 312 in Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia. The bout marked Salkilld's own UFC debut.

The fight ended almost as soon as it began – Salkilld knocked Jubli out via technical knockout just 19 seconds into the first round, one of the fastest finishes on the card. Jubli has since spoken candidly about the setback, describing his intent to return with “vengeance” and get back to winning ways.

As of his most recent bout, Anshul Jubli holds a professional MMA record of 7 wins and 2 losses, with two knockouts, one submission, and four decision victories among his wins.

Since UFC fighter contracts are not officially disclosed, Anshul Jubli's exact net worth is not publicly confirmed. Various media estimates have placed his net worth at around $400,000 as of late 2023, with some projections suggesting it may have grown toward the $500,000 range by 2025 as his fight purses and sponsorships increased – though these figures remain unverified estimates rather than official numbers.

His disclosed UFC earnings include a $78,000 payout for his Road to UFC final win over Jeka Saragih (comprising base pay, win bonus, a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus, and sponsorship money), and a reported base salary in the $20,000 range for his subsequent UFC bouts. He is managed by Paradigm Sports Management and has been associated with endorsement brands including Timex.

Note: UFC fighter earnings are largely undisclosed by the promotion; the figures above reflect publicly reported estimates and disclosed bonuses, not official confirmed totals.

Following back-to-back losses in his last two UFC outings, Jubli has spent time recovering from a neck and nose injury while continuing to train at an elite level. He has recently been spotted training at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, sharing the mats with former bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and two-time middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who publicly praised Jubli's grappling ability after their session.

As of mid-2026, reports suggest Jubli could next face Magomed Zaynukov (nicknamed “Chanco”), a fighter associated with Khabib Nurmagomedov's team, in a bout rumoured for August 2026. However, this matchup has not yet been officially confirmed by the UFC, and fans are advised to await an official announcement rather than treat the pairing as final.

Anshul Jubli's career carries a significance well beyond his own win-loss record.

He is widely regarded as:

• The second Indian fighter ever signed by the UFC, and the first to record a win in the promotion
• A trailblazer proving that world-class MMA talent can emerge from India's smaller towns and hill states, not just its metros
• One of the most recognisable faces of the sport in India, inspiring a new generation of Indian fighters chasing the same dream

Whatever comes next in the octagon, Anshul Jubli's journey from a BSF officer's son in the hills of Uttarakhand to the UFC has already secured his place as one of Indian combat sport's most important pioneers.