Anshul Jubli
7-2-0
About
Indian MMA fighter and Road to UFC tournament winner fighting to become his country's first UFC world champion, but currently struggling after back-to-back knockout losses.
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Anshul Jubli is a 30-year-old lightweight from Uttarkashi, India, who represents both a personal triumph and a symbol of MMA's reach beyond traditional fighting nations. A former mathematics teacher who discovered MMA in 2015 through online videos, Jubli taught himself the sport by studying instructors like Firas Zahabi and John Danaher, eventually training at Crosstrain Fight Club in Delhi. His unconventional path led him to the Road to UFC tournament in 2022, where he won the lightweight division with a devastating second-round TKO over Jeka Saragih, earning a UFC contract and Performance of the Night honors. He became only the second Indian fighter ever signed by the organization, fulfilling a lifelong dream to compete at the sport's highest level.
Inside the Octagon, Jubli fights as an aggressive striker with heavy hands and a knack for finishing opponents. His record of 7-2 is grounded in his ability to land power shots and rack up striking volume from the standing position, where he lands nearly 80% of his significant strikes. He has recorded two knockout wins and one submission (arm triangle) in the UFC, and notched two first-round finishes in his career, displaying the kind of finishing mentality that endears aggressive fighters to fans.
However, Jubli's recent trajectory has been marked by adversity. He suffered a third-round knockout loss to Mike Breeden in October 2023, and his struggles intensified with a catastrophic 19-second TKO loss to debutant Quillan Salkilld at UFC 312 in February 2025. Those losses coincided with backlash over comments he made in 2023 claiming he would eventually be competitive with, or even submit, Khabib Nurmagomedov. The remarks, which he has since claimed were taken out of context and said in jest, drew significant ridicule online and have haunted his profile, particularly in the wake of consecutive knockout defeats. At 7-2, Jubli remains active and rebuilding, a polarizing figure whose story oscillates between inspirational underdog and cautionary tale about premature boasting.
Why fans love Jubli
His humble origin story (village in Uttarakhand, former math teacher who self-taught through online videos), his role as a standard-bearer for Indian MMA, and his aggressive finishing style with heavy hands. Fans who followed his Road to UFC run appreciated his journey and Performance of the Night moment.
Why some fans hate Jubli
Comments he made in 2023 claiming he could submit Khabib Nurmagomedov and comparing himself favorably to the all-time great sparked widespread mockery and accusations of arrogance and disrespect; the backlash intensified after his two back-to-back knockout losses. Many view his claims as premature boasting from a young fighter with a thin resume, and he has been forced to defend the comments as out-of-context or joking. The combination of bold trash talk followed by losses has made him a target for online criticism.
