Richmond's Arjan Bhullar is no stranger to meeting challenges. During his wrestling career he was a star at SFU, won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games (Delhi 2010) and represented Canada at the Olympics (London 2012).
But now he is getting ready to grapple with a new test, this time in somewhat unfamiliar surroundings - the six-sided ring of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).
Bhullar announced Wednesday he is ready to go pro and is actively searching for an opponent for his first bout. He is also keen to be the focus of the sport's plans to tap the Indian sports fan market.
"I'd be the first Sikh in the sport. That was one of my motivations which has also presented some business opportunities," said Bhullar at Adam Ryan's MMA gym in central Richmond where he sparred for the media as part of his announcement. "A lot of people see the potential in me to be that guy. And I'm looking to make those dreams a reality."
Having reached the pinnacle of wrestling - the Olympics, where he lost out to the eventual bronze medal winner - Bhullar said the only professional outlet for athletes with his sporting resume is MMA.
"A lot of the guys (wrestlers) I have trained with have already made the
switch," he said.
But before making his mind up, Bhullar said he undertook plenty of research, visiting some of the top fight teams in the world in California and Montreal where he initially trained.
"I just had to see what it takes before I made a decision," he said. "And it's something that is very doable."
Judging by the success in MMA by other top wrestlers, Bhullar is confident he can go toe to toe in the ring and has enlisted the support of a pair of seasoned pros to guide his
training over the last 18 months or so.
On the boxing side is former Olympian (Seoul 1988) Manny Sobral, while Adam Ryan, an experienced MMA competitor who runs the Richmond gym where Bhullar is training, is providing an overview of the skills required.
Sobral, who regularly spars with Bhullar, said he already has plenty of the tools that will be a benefit.
"The good thing about Arjan is he's learned to use his hands really well," Sobral said. "He fakes really well - he's not predictable. He's
got super good reaction time, and circles the ring really well. That's an important skill he's brought over from wrestling, because you never want to stay directly in front of an opponent. He's got good lateral movement."
Plus, Bhullar has plenty of power. "He's got more than enough. He cranks really good," Sobral said. "A lot of that power comes from the core (muscles) and he's really strong there."
But it's the wrestling instincts and skills that will be one of the biggest advantages Bhullar has, Sobral said.
"As a wrestler you can control an opponent better if you get your hands on them, rather than if you're strictly a puncher," Sobral said.
"That's where Arjan will do really well - he's got great grappling skills. And now that he can handle himself with his hands boxing-wise, I think only actually being in the cage and doing it will determine how successful he'll be. But I think he will do really well."
Ryan, a decorated MMA competitor, agrees.
"He's ready," Ryan said. "He's been at this for over a year now, and he brings with him the training, skills and competitiveness of an Olympic athlete."
Local MMA blogger Jeremy Brand, who created and runs www.MMASucka.com and is a contributor to VancityBuzz.com, concurs on the success of wrestlers in MMA.
"The transition from wrestling to MMA is probably the most seamless of any sport," said Brand in an email. "Wrestlers are already used to the gruelling weight cut and constant training regime. The only problem they face is getting punched in the face, and if you can't handle that then you've chosen the wrong sport. Oftentimes, a wrestler believes he/she
can make the move over quickly, however, I find some tend to rush it. Like anyone who wants to pursue MMA, one must acquire all the skills (wrestling, boxing, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu) before jumping across the cage.
"Wrestlers tend to make the cleanest move to MMA. However, one fault is they become too dependent on their takedowns," he added.
Bhullar has dropped some weight - about 15 pounds - to be a little more agile in the cage and is now weighing in at 245 pounds, in MMA's heavyweight category.
Although he's fight-ready, actually getting a match is proving problematic.
"You don't want to jump into the ring with someone who's had 30 to 40 fights," he said. "But you want someone fairly new, too. But they don't want to go up against someone like me with my credentials."
