Road to UFC: Anshul Jubli faces his toughest opponent yet in South Korean Kyung Pyo Kim
INDIAN MMA FIGHTER Anshul Jubli will face the toughest challenge of his career yet this weekend when he competes in the Lightweight semi-finals of 'Road to UFC.'
Jubli (5-0 Pro MMA), who received a bye in the quarter final round due to his opponent pulling out, is scheduled to face Kyung Pyo Kim (11-3) who is by far the toughest opponent he has been pitted against so far.
Jubli, who had an illustrious undefeated run in the amateur circuits before turning professional in 2019, remains unblemished in his 5 pro bouts so far, all of which took place in the Matrix Fight Nights promotion.
Widely recognised as one of the most promising young talents in India, he was picked by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the biggest MMA promotion in the world, to appear in their developmental series 'Road to UFC' where various talented fighters from across Asia were placed in two tournaments. The winners of the tournaments will be awarded UFC contracts.
Jubli's last fight was against Mohammad Mahmoudian in MFN 6, whom he submitted in the first round. It was his first ever fight against an international opponent. But Mahmoudian, a relative novice in pro MMA, does not pose a threat like Kim does.
Hailing from Seoul, South Korea, Kyung Pyo Kim has been active in professional MMA since 2015. With 14 fights under his belt, he has a good amount of international experience, having fought in multiple promotions across Asia, including in Russia and the UAE. Kim made a splash in the quarter final round of 'Road to UFC' when he knocked out his opponent Asikeerbai Jinensibieke just 30 seconds into the fight.
Two of Kim's three professional losses came by the way of close decisions. The only time he has been stopped was last December, when Timur Nagibin knocked him out in the first tound.
Last 5 of Kim's wins have come via stoppage; three by KO/TKO and two by submission. He has a diverse skill-set and is set to challenge Anshul Jubli both in a stand-up battle and ground game.
But it won't be the first time Jubli goes into a fight as an underdog against a more experienced opponent. His very first pro MMA fight was against rising star Sanjeet Budhwar, and despite not having much time to prepare, he managed to get a win via decision.
Anshul Jubli has had the chance to be fully prepared for this contest, starting his training at the Crossfit gym in Delhi before having a full-on fight camp in Bali, Indonesia.
If Jubli manages to win this fight, he will be one bout away from becoming the second ever Indian citizen to earn a UFC contract after Bharat Kandare.
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