Ankit Baiyanpuria isn’t your typical crossover athlete. Best known as a fitness influencer, the Haryana native from India, whose real name is Ankit Singh, is set to make his organized combat sports debut. He will face UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan in a submission-only grappling superfight on August 1, 2026, in Yerevan, Armenia. Ahead of the biggest athletic challenge of his career, here’s a look at Ankit’s journey, humble roots, and the inspiring story that has motivated millions.

Where is Ankit Baiyanpuria from and what is Ankit Baiyanpuria’s nationality?

Ankit Baiyanpuria is a citizen of India and was born on August 31, 1998, in the village of Bayanpur, Sonipat district, Haryana, India. Therefore, in 2026, Ankit will be 27 years old. The boy comes from a land known for its akhadas (wrestling pits), just like cricket pitches are abundant there.

He comes from a small farmer’s family where every rupee is valuable, and labor is essential for mere existence. Ankit completed his primary education in a village school, and afterward he did his 11th and 12th classes from the Government Senior Secondary School in Model Town, Sonipat. Then, he completed his Bachelor of Arts from Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak, India.

Before Ankit became a fitness icon, he was a Zomato delivery boy and even did daily wage work to make ends meet for his parents, who happen to be farmers and daily wage workers. The story of Ankit becoming a fitness icon from working as a food delivery boy is one of those rags-to-riches stories that strikes at the very core of rural India.In the words of Ankit, “Growing up in a small village, I barely had exposure to modern gyms or fitness culture. Most of what I learned was self-taught, inspired by wrestlers and local athletes.”

What is Ankit Baiyanpuria’s ethnicity?

Ankit Baiyanpuria is of Indian ethnicity, specifically from the Jat community of Haryana, a group known for its deep wrestling tradition and agricultural roots. His surname “Baiyanpuria” is a clan name, indicating his family’s ancestral ties to Bayanpur village.

His parents, Lal Bahadur Baiyanpuria (father) and an unnamed mother, are both Haryanvi Jats, part of the same farming and wrestling culture that produced legends like The Great Gama and Dara Singh. Ankit has two elder sisters, and the family’s lower-middle-class background meant he had to hustle early. His father, a farmer and potter, has been his biggest supporter, often recalling how Ankit would train with bricks and homemade weights when proper equipment was out of reach.

What is Ankit Baiyanpuria’s religion?

Ankit Baiyanpuria is a practicing Hindu. He frequently incorporates spiritual elements into his content, often quoting the Bhagavad Gita and opening videos with “Ram Ram bhai sareya ne”, a traditional Haryanvi greeting that’s become his signature catchphrase.

Ankit has spoken openly about how the Bhagavad Gita shaped his mental toughness during the 75 Hard Challenge, and he’s participated in social campaigns like the Swachhata Hi Seva cleanliness drive with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2024, he received the National Creators Award for Best Health and Fitness Creator, where he thanked his family, coaches, and “the divine energy that kept me going.”

He’s also been vocal about brahmacharya (celibacy) as part of his discipline, a practice tied to traditional Hindu wrestling culture.

The August 1 grappling match against Arman Tsarukyan is Ankit’s first step into professional combat sports. It’s a submission-only contest, no striking, no points, just taps or chokes. The Haryana fighter has been training in Thailand and Dagestan, Russia, to prepare for this moment. Ankit’s training stints have been in Dagestan, at Warriors Cove MMA, and alongside high-level grapplers. Whether he taps out Tsarukyan or gets tapped, this fight is a statement that he is ready for the global stage.