Top ONE Championship heavyweight talent and former UFC veteran Arjan “Singh” Bhullar is just days away from the biggest fight of his professional career.

The 34-year-old Indian mixed martial arts star will soon challenge for the ONE World Title at the previously recorded ONE: DANGAL on Saturday, 15 May, where he takes on reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera.

However, he did take the time out to share his thoughts on reality competition series “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition,” which is fast approaching the conclusion of its inaugural season.

The 34-year-old who traces his roots to Billi Bhullar village in the Jalandhar district of the North Indian state of Punjab says he has learned a lot from watching the show. He stresses the importance of working together to achieve great things.

“You got to be a team player. So, whether it’s an athlete in a cage fight, although the sport is one on one, we have a whole team around us - coaches, trainers, team mates, you have to be able to work as a team because it takes a village. Same thing in the business world of ‘The Apprentice.’ Lean on your team and you have to be able to work well with them,” Bhullar said.

“The remaining candidates need to keep plugging away. You are almost there. You’ve earned your way to where you are right now. Keep believing in yourself. It has been tough. Chatri is not easy because he has been known as a tough leader, but you’re there for a reason. You wanted to be there, so go get it.”

“The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” brings together 16 candidates hand picked from around the world to compete in a series of business challenges, and for the first time ever in the franchise, physical tasks that will test their mind, body, and spirit. Each week, at least one candidate is eliminated, until only one is left standing, earning the right to be called “The Apprentice.”

At stake is a US $250,000 job offer to work directly under ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong as his protege in business. The winner will also be named ONE’s new Chief of Staff.

Bhullar, who says he has a passion for martial arts and the world of business, believes the winning candidate should be motivated enough to be willing to risk it all. At the same time, he says that candidates need to approach problems with intelligent solutions, in order to win.

“First, you need to be tough, and deal with adversities and challenges. Secondly, you have to be smart, meaning if you keep banging your head against the wall expecting different results, that’s not smart. You gotta be able to go around the wall, over the wall, that type of thing,” Bhullar said.

“You have to be driven. Having drive is unmatched. You can outwork anybody and that is very important. Work ethics is connected directly with drive, be it sports or business, it’s the only way you get to the top. Never be satisfied and be always hungry and have an unrelenting drive.”

Bhullar is scheduled to challenge Filipino-American star Brandon “The Truth” Vera for the ONE Heavyweight World Title in the headline bout at ONE: DANGAL, a tape delayed event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore that airs on Saturday, 15 May.

The 34-year-old says that although his training camp has been extremely difficult, that the secret to his success has been training his mind to become stronger than his body. Bhullar says everyone seeking success in anything should do the same.

“The mind is very powerful and it is a muscle. So the more you push through things, the more stamina you build, the more mental strength you build, and the easier it becomes. It becomes a habit of being able to push through,” Bhullar said.

“We are creatures of habit and that’s what it is. To have the mental strength and fortitude, to have the muscle and then you can go further and further and do it more. You just have to make the decision to do it. What we say as athletes, get comfortable with the uncomfortable. It is a mindset.”