UFC Fans Call India’s 1.4 Billion Population “Embarrassing” After Another Fighter Falls Short
India’s massive population has once again become a talking point among UFC fans after another Indian prospect failed to secure a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Thanks to the UFC, MMA has grown all over the world. What was once mostly popular in America and a few other countries has now reached almost every part of the world, with champions from Myanmar and China. However, in the past few years, fighters from India have been trying hard to make their mark in the UFC, but one after another, they have been falling short.
After Anshul Jubli and Puja Tomar, another Indian fighter, Mridul Saikia, tried to make it into the UFC for the second time, but he failed badly. Now, after his recent loss to Bilal Hasan on DWCS, the internet has fired up, with fans slamming the 1.4-billion-strong nation.
UFC Fans Slam India’s MMA Scene
This was the second time Saikia had tried to earn a UFC contract. Last year, he failed badly at Road to UFC, getting knocked out in just 38 seconds. This time, the result was no different. It took former CFFC flyweight champion Hassan just 45 seconds to earn his contract after knocking out the Indian fighter.
Subsequently, the internet was flooded with Indian memes, with fans questioning how a 1.4-billion-strong nation is failing to produce top-level fighting talent. “Indians should just be banned from fighting. So embarrassing for a country with 2 billion people,” a fan said.
“How are they so bad,” another fan said.
“My assumption is the UFC marketing machine trying to force an Indian fighter into UFC success and throwing lower-level guys in with the sharks and hoping they swim,” as per one fan.
“It’s not a good place to be born if you want to fight sadly no spirit,” a fan wrote.
“There are amateurs on the regional circuit better than that Indian guy.. that was a complete miss match and dude had no business being on the contender,” a X user wrote.
“They just aren’t built for this sport unfortunately,” a fan feels.
“1.5 billion people with 0 fighters,” another fan added.
“I'm confident to say there won't be a serious Indian fighting champion for at least a century or two,” as per one X user.
What’s The Problem With Indian MMA?
It’s not that India doesn’t have combat sports talent. From former wrestling champion Sushil Kumar to boxing star Nishant Dev, Indian athletes have shown their immense talent and ability to go toe-to-toe with the best in the world.
However, MMA is still a fairly new sport in the nation, and it doesn’t yet have the infrastructure needed to produce top-level talent. Indeed, in a few years, the country might produce some of the best fighters in the world. But for now, there is a big hole that the Indian MMA ship needs to fill if it doesn’t want to sink.
