“When you have an active schedule like this, it’s not always the fights themselves that are tough — it’s what’s happening between the fights with training camps — and being able to set yourself to a pace where you can keep the grind going has been a big thing for me. I’m able to withstand the rigors of back-to-back training camps and keep performing, and above all else, stay hungry to keep getting better and improve.
“You just have to accept that,” he said of his stumbles away from the Unified MMA cage. “A hockey player is offered 82 opportunities a year to win and lose, and in my sport, you’re lucky if you get five squeezes in a year, and that’s insane. A guy that is fighting five times a year is nuts, and myself, I’ve always been willing to take on challenges, and I’ve always been willing to put myself in uncomfortable situations.”
While he was admittedly disappointed about only getting a two-fight audition in the UFC before being released, the 31-year-old fighter has been able to see the experience for what it taught him, appreciate the lessons that he learned, and do his best to work on bettering himself, the same way he has following each and every setback over the course of his career.
UFC’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY EXPERIENCE | BREAKING BARRIERS
“My UFC debut was on a week’s notice,” he said of his October 2020 meeting with Tom Breese. “I’m willing to challenge myself in this sport, and I recognize that if you don’t win, it’s up to you to be able to swallow that pill, go back, recognize why you didn’t, and build on it for the next one.
“I got my UFC debut with only eight fights ever; I had eight fights, period,” he added “Recognizing that, I have a hunger to gain experience above all else. I have a hunger to improve above all else. And I’m willing to improve above all else, and I’m willing to go through whatever tribulations it takes to improve.
“Every time I have a setback, I’m able to look at it, evolve, and understand why.”
And after not getting the chance to really get into the swing of things with Millender last time, Bhullar is hoping this week’s rematch provides him with the opportunity to showcase his talents once again and get things moving in the right direction before hopefully getting a few more squeezes in over the rest of the year.
“I think that fight was going to be a great fight — it had the makings for it, but it got derailed with the foul, and these things happen,” he said of their first encounter. “I’m excited to showcase my skills again and test myself against him.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to finish this fight. I want to showcase my skills, showcase my improvements, and come out with a victory.
“And then if the body allows, absolutely, let’s get four or five squeezes in.”
