'He deeply let down India': ONE CEO calls Arjan Bhullar's loss embarrassing and 'unacceptable'

After becoming the first fighter in ONE Championship history to be penalised for passivity, CEO and chairman Chatri Sityodtong delivered a stinging indictment of Arjan Bhullar. Bhullar received a yellow card in each of the first two rounds of his heavyweight MMA bout against Iran's Amir Aliakbari at ONE 166 in Doha, before being issued a red card by exasperated referee Herb Dean. 

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ONE Championship CEO goes hard on Arjan Bhullar

The former champion had barely attempted any strikes and appeared to spend the majority of the bout circling the cage and avoiding Aliakbari at Lusail Sports Arena, which did not sit well with the fans or the boss.

Disgruntled with the performance of Arjan Bhullar, ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong called Bhullar's performance "unacceptable", during the post-event presser.

"There's just no excuse, what Arjan did is unacceptable at ONE Championship. That's the first time in the history of the organisation that we have ever issued a red card on timidity."

He added:

"He didn't want to fight. If you dont want to fight, why are you a professional fighter? You definitely don't belong at the top of the world of martial arts. I was deeply disappointed in Arjan, and I think he deeply let down India. India will no longer look at him as a hero

Anatoly Malykhin, who defeated Arjan Bhullar to become the undisputed heavyweight champion in Bangkok last June, was also unimpressed.

"Arjan scared, Arjan no fighter. He no show drama, only scared. Three rounds scared, scared, scared – 'Hey, let's go home.' No work. You no work, no show people who go stadium and pay money."

Sityodtong further said that it was embarrassing to broadcast Arjan Bhullar's fight.

"I agree with Anatoly 100 per cent. I have never been embarrassed in thousands of fights. I never speak ill of our fighters ever, but this one is unacceptable."

He added:

"The first round he threw maybe one punch, the second he threw two punches and ran the whole time. It was very clear he was scared."