After defeat at UFC 294 against Mike Breeden, what's next for 'Ling of Lions' Anshul Jubli

This past weekend, history was written as an Indian stepped inside the Octagon of UFC. With a determined mindset and laser-sharp focus, Anshul Jubli walked the tunnel and made his debut at the UFC 294 event. The challenge at the other end was daunting but the odds had given “The King of Lions” an edge over Mike Breeden.

3 things you need to know

• India's Anshul Jubli made his debut at UFC 294
• Jubli fought in the Lightweight division against Mike Breeden
• Anshul won the first two rounds but Breeden came back with a KO in Round 3 of the fight

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Anshul Jubli made his UFC debut

Ahead of the fight, Anshul Jubli had conveyed that he would try to finish his opponent by striking him down, and indeed he exhibited his punching power in the match. The fight began, and Anshul was clearly the better striker in the first two rounds, he even came close to a finish in the second round, but Breeden survived.

Knowing that the only to win now was to finish Anshul, Mike Breeden used all of his experience and landed many significant shots in the third. Jubli was visibly gassed out and a telling blow that came in the 4th minute of Round 3 dropped Anshul on the mat. Following that, the referee signaled the end of the match. With that, more than a million hearts broke instantly and once again the hard reality of the sport i.e., It only takes one punch to hit the lights out, became evident.

While it turned out to be a disappointing night for the Indian fight fans, there is still so much to celebrate as the first time a homegrown fighter was there to represent India at the biggest stage of combat sports. Moreover, it is not the end, it was just the beginning.

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What's next for Anshul Jubli?

Anshul Jubli's contract with UFC is still intact, and now he will look to recover from this setback to get back better. He will grace the Octagon again, probably soon or after a considerable period. One loss does mean it is the end of the road. Anshul would fight again in the UFC, when? At this point, it cannot be gauged, but whenever the fight comes, we will break it down for you. Till then let's focus on the positives.