India, China, and the United States. Those are the only three countries that have a larger population than Indonesia.
So why hasn't Indonesia had a big UFC superstar? Bilal Hasan isn't sure – but he's dead-set on changing that.
Hasan (8-0) hasn't even had a UFC fight yet, but he's already feeling widespread support from his parents' home country. Thousands of people he's never met have jumped on board with following his career, driving his Instagram followers to more than 174,000.
"I'm very grateful," Hasan recently told MMA Junkie. "I feel like I'm in a unique position. Both of my parents are Indonesia. Indonesia is the fourth-most populated country in the world. They don't really have anyone representing them in the combat sports world. It's
just been crazy being a regional professional and winning a title. I was only 6-0 and started blowing up all over Indonesia. It's been really cool, man. Their support has been tremendous in growing my name and my brand in the combat sports world. They don't have anyone.
"I've been saying this for a while: I want to become the Manny Pacquiao of Indonesia. I feel like I'm on my way to be there. First thing's first: I've got to keep training and keep winning."
Hasan, 25, isn't afraid of the microphone. His eccentric entrances and post-fight promos have endeared him to regional scene followers, as if his in-cage performances weren't enough. Hasan sports a cowboy hat and sunglasses on fight night – an ode to his American and Indonesian sides.
"It's a little bit of who I am," Hasan said. "Funny enough, the cowboy hat initially came because I was fighting in North Dakota. I was like, 'Damn, I've never been to North Dakota before.' The first thing that I thought of, I was like, 'F*ck it, cowboys.' Funny enough, I brought the Indonesian flag. It kind of resembles my heritage. I was born in Hawaii, which is an American state. It kind of resembles my Asian-American background. The cowboy is the American side. Holding the Indonesian flag, of course, is the Indonesian side. That also kind of resembles my nickname: 'The IndoNinja,' being Indonesian but also having an Indonesian style."
The UFC has been all over the world and continues to strike major event deals with tourism boards who aim to capitalize on the economic boost that comes with a UFC event. While a person with knowledge of the situation told MMA Junkie in 2023 the promotion was considering the Indonesian capital of Jakarta for a UFC Fight Night event, it never materialized. Hasan hopes he can be the one to influence the deal into getting done.
"That's a dream I thought I could never dream of before," Hasan said. "They're going all over the place. They were just in Serbia last week. The UFC knows what they're doing, and that's one thing that I'm really grateful for with the platform like the Contender Series. The UFC really tries to build a storyline behind you. I know the UFC knows what they're doing. It's just my job to go out there and capitalize on that."
Hasan, 25, already has three CFFC title defenses to his name. Born in Hawaii, Hasan lives in Washington state and trains with all-time flyweight great Demetrious Johnson. Given his association with "Mighty Mouse," it should come as no surprise that Hasan wanted to set unbreakable records in CFFC. However, he may have to "settle" with doing it in the UFC instead.
Hasan will compete on Dana White's Contender Series on Tuesday against India's Mridul Saikia (9-1) – and he plans to earn a contract. If he does, he'll be the second Indonesian representative in the UFC. The first was Jeka Saragih, an Indonesia-born featherweight who went 1-3 in the promotion from February 2023 to June 2025.
"I've just got be me," Hasan said. "I'm never in a boring fight. The Contender Series is literally the perfect platform for me to go out there and capitalize and basically show the U.S. audience who I am. Also, there's never been an Indonesian on the Contender Series. That'll be me being a part of history as well. I've just got to go out there and put on a performance from start until finish. Being the first week of Contender Series on Paramount+, man. It's such a huge platform for me to go out there and showcase my skill set and my personality.
"... It's the perfect opponent, the perfect canvas for me to paint my art on. I feel like I'm better than him everywhere this fight goes. I've just got to go out there and be calm and have fun and be myself. The finish will come. It's going to be a show, man. I can't wait."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Can Bilal Hasan be the first Indonesian UFC star? He's planning on it.
