Published 12:28 IST, February 13th 2020
Ritu Phogat aims to be India's best ever Mixed Martial arts figher
India got its first taste of ONE Championship's brand of Martial Arts live as Ritu Phogat displayed her skills at the National Sports Club of India in Delhi
India got its first taste of ONE Championship's brand of Martial Arts live as Ritu Phogat displayed her skills at the National Sports Club of India in Delhi ahead of her face-off with China’s Pro MMA fighter Wu Chiao Chen at ONE: KING OF THE JUNGLE to be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on February 28.
Ritu Phogat aims to be India's best
“I am honored to showcase my skills in front of all the fans and media. My career has been a fantastic one. But when I decided to make the transition to mixed martial arts, I knew the risk and the rewards. As an athlete, I am open to meet any challenge head-on. I am motivated to become the best mixed martial artist that I can be. Working with elite World Champions at Evolve in Singapore has really cultivated my combat skills and transformed me into a complete fighter. I know I still have a long way to go, but I’m willing to continue to put the work in until I reach my ultimate goal. My dream is to give India its first-ever mixed martial arts World Champion.” Ritu Phogat said after featuring in an exciting workout session and interaction, discussing her successful switch to MMA from amateur wrestling during the official "One: King of the Jungle Open Workout session.
As the daughter of the legendary wrestling coach, Mahavir Singh Phogat, Ritu became the first one to make the crossover having begun her wrestling training at the age of 8. Phogat’s selfless dedication and her ability to pick up skills quickly gifted her a sizzling debut late last year when she finished Nam Hee Kim in the first round by technical knockout to remain unbeaten at the ONE Championship.
Even before Phogat made the switch, she already had three Indian national championships titles to her credit and bagged the gold at the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships aswell. The following year, she won a silver medal at the prestigious WorldUnder-23 Wrestling Championships in Poland, becoming the first female Indian wrestler to do so in the process. But Ritu chose to embrace MMA and promptly moved to Singapore to join the world-renowned Evolve MMA, where she currently trains with multiple Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-JitsuWorld Champions to bring her striking and submission skills up to par with her elite wrestling.
While the 25-year-old impressed on her debut, she will now need to produce that same confidence and determination against debutante Wu in her upcoming fight. With the whole of India following her, she is aiming to make the country proud by becoming India’s first mixed martial arts World Champion – a goal she hopes to attain within two years.
Updated 13:09 IST, February 13th 2020
