Erick Thohir is Proud that Bilal Hasan Has Made It into the UFC, Bringing Indonesia's Name to the Global Stage.

Jakarta - Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir expressed his pride after Bilal Hasan successfully secured an official contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Bilal earned the contract following an outstanding performance at Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) in Las Vegas, United States. He defeated Indian fighter Mridul Saikia via TKO in just 45 seconds, during the early morning of Wednesday (12/8) Western Indonesia Time.

Erick conveyed his congratulations to Bilal through his personal Instagram account. He stated that this achievement serves as proof that hard work from athletes of Indonesian descent can carry them onto the global professional sports stage.

"Keep fighting, keep growing, and lift Indonesia's name even higher in the UFC! 🔥 So proud!" Erick wrote on his social media account, as quoted in Jakarta on Monday, 17 August 2026.

Bilal Alakai Hasan is a Hawaii-born fighter with full Indonesian heritage from both parents. The 25-year-old competes under the fight alias "The IndoNinja" in the flyweight division.

His victory over Saikia brought Bilal's professional fight record to a perfect 9-0. Prior to appearing at DWCS, he already held 8 undefeated wins and previously held the Cage Fury Fighting Championship (CFFC) flyweight title.

This success makes Bilal the second fighter of Indonesian descent to secure a UFC contract, after Jeka Saragih.

Bilal began his martial arts journey with taekwondo. He started formal training at 4 years old, and went on to collect multiple junior-level competitive achievements including the 2017 Pan-American Taekwondo Junior Championships gold medal.

After transitioning to Mixed Martial Arts, Bilal built his professional career in the United States. His run competing in CFFC became one of the critical stepping stones that earned him the DWCS opportunity, before he finally locked in his UFC contract.

Bilal also previously trained alongside former UFC pound-for-pound champion Demetrious Johnson. This experience formed a core part of his skill development process before reaching the highest tier of professional MMA.

At present, Bilal is preparing to enter a new career chapter. He is scheduled to make his UFC flyweight debut against undefeated Peruvian fighter Nilson Rojas.

Rojas also holds an unblemished 9-0 professional record. Known for finishing fights at high speed, he fights under the nickname "El Rayo" which translates to "The Lightning".

This matchup is currently set to take place at UFC Fight Night Shanghai on 29 August 2026. UFC has officially confirmed the Shanghai event will be held on this date, though the full fight card remains subject to changes.

For Bilal, this UFC contract is his chance to prove his capabilities on the world's biggest MMA stage. With his perfect 9-0 record and dominant quick victory over Saikia, he carries strong momentum to begin this new journey.

Beyond an individual career milestone, Bilal's entry into the UFC also marks important progress for the development of MMA in Indonesia. Following Jeka Saragih, there is now another athlete of Indonesian heritage given the opportunity to compete at the absolute highest level of this sport.