Arjan Singh Bhullar, the reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion, will be locked in the cage against interim titleholder Anatoly Malykhin for the unification of ONE Heavyweight Championship on Friday. The two stars will collide at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.
Arjan, who is the first ever Indian-origin MMA champion, recently shared insights into his mindset and preparation for the megaevent. Arjan emphasized the importance of visualization, perfecting techniques, and mastering breath control. He described how his routine enables him to remain calm and in control, even in high-pressure situations with the spotlight on him.
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As he approaches his upcoming bout against Malykhin, the former Olympian stands firm in his conviction that he is the true champion and is ready to prove it once again.
Speaking exclusively to Star Sports, Arjan said: “For every day I have a routine where I visualize what it is I’m doing, I’m doing it fully, in an arena full of people, or in a gym, perfect techniques, and the breath work I do. So a lot of this process, allows me to do it with the most pressure, when all the lights are on and the arena is packed and everyone is yelling and screaming, you have to be calm. Anything can happen around you, inside, only you control that. And that’s the emotions, the breath, that’s the mind. And basically you have to have the techniques to do that as well. For me, it was like, ok, if it’s possible, all you need is hope sometimes, ‘Hey, it’s doable, it’s possible.’ If they can do it, I can do it, and now I have to figure out how to do it.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking exclusively to Star Sports, Arjan said: “For every day I have a routine where I visualize what it is I’m doing, I’m doing it fully, in an arena full of people, or in a gym, perfect techniques, and the breath work I do. So a lot of this process, allows me to do it with the most pressure, when all the lights are on and the arena is packed and everyone is yelling and screaming, you have to be calm. Anything can happen around you, inside, only you control that. And that’s the emotions, the breath, that’s the mind. And basically you have to have the techniques to do that as well. For me, it was like, ok, if it’s possible, all you need is hope sometimes, ‘Hey, it’s doable, it’s possible.’ If they can do it, I can do it, and now I have to figure out how to do it.”
{{/usCountry}}On being asked about his reign as the Heavyweight champion, he said: “There’s one champion, there’s one title, across all divisions, across all sports there’s not two. So, I am that, and I am the champion. In my time away, they introduced this fake thing, I can give you this object and tell you, you’re the champion too. But for some reason he’s been brought into it too (Malykhin), which is, you know, that’s up to him. But come June 23rd, that is it. I am a champion, but every time you go back out there, you have to prove it, and I will prove it again, June 23rd.”
He added: “You know your confidence goes to the next level. I am the man, everything I thought I was, I am. So it’s a different feeling when you have a belt. So you become 10% better they say when you become a champion. Because your mental combines with your physical. What you thought you were, sitting there meditating and visualizing all of this, it actually happens. So that affirms everything. So the next person that comes now is in big trouble.”