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Bhullar
expected to challenge ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon Vera in his next
bout.
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New Delhi(Agencies): With his sights
set firmly on becoming a World Champion since joining ONE Championship last
year, heavyweight Arjan Singh Bhullar has returned to Punjab to rediscover his
roots and empower and inspire people in his native village of Jalandhar.
As one of the top mixed martial artists in the world,
Bhullar has always looked to use his career as a platform to inspire his
people, transcending the boundaries of sports and looking to make a real change
in society.
From winning a gold medal in wrestling in the 2010
Commonwealth Games to making a thunderous ONE debut, the 2016 Olympian is
certainly an accomplished athlete and his position come with a lot of influence.
But despite his success on the global stage, Bhullar’s profound love and
respect for the country of his origin has remained intact.
One area of society Bhullar has focused to champion is the
empowerment of Indian women, particularly in Jalandhar. Bhullar recently built
a facility where village women can socialize. He provided sewing machines,
cloth and various other materials for the purpose of producing face masks to
help keep the village safe from the overreaching tentacles of COVID-19.
“I have been
frequently visiting India since I was a child. I am still very attached to my
village and the people there. We have built a very special place within the
village for the women to gather, as they, unlike men, have nowhere to go and
spend time,” said Bhullar.
“The women have a
great time there and during the pandemic, they have been making masks with the
sewing machines that I have procured for them. Today, these women are not only
self-sufficient but are also helping and empowering the entire village and the
neighbouring region.”
Bhullar also put up a local gym to help groom the next
generation of Indian mixed martial arts stars.
The colossal heavyweight is on a personal mission to turn
India into a martial arts powerhouse by taking troubled youth off the streets,
many of whom have fallen prey to the traps and vices of poverty and hardship,
and change their lives through sports. These efforts have built many futures
and have energized Jalandhar.
“We built a gym
shortly after the 2010 Commonwealth Games for the youngsters” said Bhullar.
“It’s connected to
the local school and kids come to practice sports from the adjoining villages
too. The kids have all taken on sports in a professional way and it keeps them
focused. I want to make my village a model village and spread the message that
anything is possible all over India when the intent is right.”
While Bhullar is dedicated to helping his people, especially
in these times of need, he has not lost sight of advancing his professional
career. Bhullar is laser-focused on making a run at the ONE Heavyweight World
Championship, currently held by Filipino-American superstar Brandon Vera.
Bhullar made his ONE Championship debut last October in
Tokyo, Japan, defeating top contender Mauro Cerilli via dominant unanimous
decision. The incredible performance over a former world title challenger
catapulted Bhullar up the divisional ladder, and he’s now next in line for a
shot at the gold.
Although details of the bout are yet to be revealed, Bhullar
and Vera are expected to meet inside the Circle when the current situation
eases and events resume. The thought of becoming a ONE World Champion and
representing India is one that drives Bhullar to push himself hard each day in
training.
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