Discipline and Bhagat Singh: What drives Indian-origin US fighter Mansher Khera
New Delhi: Mixed martial arts can be unforgiving. Discipline, belief and hunger are some words thrown around in the sport. But for Mansher Khera, those reminders are inked into his skin. Literally. Mansher Khera in action against Aziz Khaydarov during their Road to UFC bout in May. (UFC)
Etched across his ripped torso is the face of Bhagat Singh, the Indian revolutionary who went on a 116-day hunger strike and eventually died for his beliefs when he was only 23.
Khera got the tattoo over a decade ago, long before he entered the octagon. 'That was my first tattoo,' he told HT, 'Honestly, for me, it was his mindset towards the cause. He was willing to die for it. That kind of commitment… that's what inspires me every single day.'
'I feel like every morning when I wake up and I look at that tattoo, it just keeps me disciplined, it keeps me sharp, it keeps me grounded.'
It's that spirit that carried Khera to his Road to UFC in Shanghai in May to a unanimous decision win over Aziz Khaydarov. His opportunity came at 33, an age some might consider too late to start their UFC dreams but the New Jersey-based fighter isn't too fussed about that.
'I think about (age) all the time, if I'm being honest. But this is my passion,' he said. 'I don't have anything else in my life… I'm not married, I don't have kids. I might be old, but I don't have anything else and I'm training like an 18-year-old. I know my skills will speak for themselves.'
Born to Indian immigrants in America, Khera's story is driven by resilience. His parents, Sukhdev Singh Khera and Abhilash Khera, arrived in America with 'zero dollars to their name,' building a life from scratch. 'I draw a lot of inspiration from them… their life was way harder than mine. So when I'm training and I'm tired, I think of that.'
Although his parents were back in the US, Khera grew up in India, attending a strict boarding school where discipline was carved into routine. Waking up at 7 am, six-day weeks, and a culture of toughness.
'That environment hardened my mind,' he recalled. 'So now when I'm in the gym and I don't want to push through, I still do it. Because I've been through worse.'
When he moved back to New York as a teen, the transition jolted him a little, as it would for a person of colour. 'I was somewhat of an outcast… people picked on me, and I got into a lot of fights.' However, martial arts allowed him to feel a sense of belonging, and soon, the gym became his sanctuary. The mat doesn't care about colour, after all.
'On the mats, it's simple. No one cares about your race or background. They care if you show up and work. That's how you earn respect.'
Now, Khera splits his training between CULTR Fight Club in Jersey City, where his coach Rich Ebenhan has shaped his game and Unity BJJ in New York City, a hub for world-class jiu-jitsu players. Khera was also the first grappler that was awarded the black belt by the legendary Marcelo Garcia – arguably the best pound for pound submission grappler.
'I really took my time,' Khera, who started BJJ in 2009, said. 'First, I focussed on Jiu-Jitsu. Once I got good, I moved to kickboxing around 2017-18. Then I mixed it all up around 2021. Now I'm ready for the big stage.'
The big stage is, of course, UFC.
'There are UFC champions older than me. Look at (Alexander) Volkanovski, look at Islam (Makachev). I know I can achieve that. I have nothing holding me down. It's attainable. No distractions. This is it.'
He already has his eye on Australia's Quilan Salkild, the fighter who last defeated Indian UFC fighter Anshul Jubli. 'I'd love to fight him. I want that win on my record,' he said.
But beyond the wins and belts is a desire to build something more lasting. 'I want my legacy to be honest. For it to reflect that I never quit. I showed heart, grit. And I stayed true to myself. I want people coming up in the game to look at me and say, 'He didn't sell out. He did it his way.''
Khera may not have the flashiest style or the most roaring trash talk. But he has an unyielding discipline, a fighter's spirit, the all-round skills and Bhagat Singh' commitment as a reminder. And it might just be enough to take him where he believes he belongs.
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