B.C. MMA champion condemns gyms, coaches linked to white supremacist groups

Mixed martial arts champion Arjan Singh Bhullar says he was “shocked and disgusted” to learn that members of B.C.’s martial arts community had ties to white supremacist activity, following a CBC News investigation exposing several gym owners and trainers who attended a secretive neo-Nazi gathering in Vancouver this summer.

“My initial thought was to fight hate with hate, maybe as a fighter,” Bhullar said on CBC’s On the Coast. “But that’s never the answer. We have no place for this in society or in sport — especially martial arts.”

Bhullar, a Richmond-based athlete who represented Canada in wrestling at the 2012 London Olympics and went on to become a ONE Championship heavyweight titleholder, said martial arts should be a platform for inclusion and community, not extremism.

“Martial arts is a perfect common denominator to bring people together from different communities and cultures,” he said. “Those that are tied to this are not a representation of our sport. And I guarantee you, they will not be welcome back.”

‘Fight hate with community’

Bhullar, who runs a youth foundation, has long used martial arts as a tool to combat racism and promote resilience. He says the sport teaches respect, discipline, and humility, values directly opposed to extremist ideology.

“It’s an extreme sport in the sense that it tests your physical and mental limits,” he said. “But that’s where it ends. We’re not drawn to extreme ideology.”

Researchers have previously warned that martial arts communities — including MMA, boxing, and jiu-jitsu — have occasionally been targeted for recruitment by far-right and white nationalist groups seeking to exploit the culture of toughness and belonging.

Bhullar says that makes it even more critical for athletes, coaches, and gym owners to speak out and protect the sport’s reputation as an inclusive and empowering space.

Industry steps up response

The Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) also condemned those identified in the CBC report, saying none are affiliated with its organization — and that they never will be.

“None of the identified individuals, nor their organizations, are members of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada — nor will they ever be allowed to join,” the FIC said in a statement.

The national non-profit, which represents thousands of gyms and fitness centres, says it plans to strengthen inclusion measures, including:

• Reviewing membership vetting processes to block individuals or groups with extremist ties.

• Developing a national code of conduct for gyms and trainers to recognize and respond to hate-based activity or recruitment.

“Our industry exists to uplift Canadians — body, mind, and spirit,” said Zach Weston, FIC’s executive director. “Anyone spreading extremist ideology stands in complete opposition to everything we believe in.”

A call to reclaim the sport

Bhullar says the revelation is a wake-up call for martial arts practitioners everywhere — and a reminder that the sport’s values must be actively defended.

“Martial arts changed my life. It builds confidence, humility, and community,” he said. “We have to make sure it never becomes a place where hate can hide.”