MMA Fighters Brace for Asian Games Debut Amidst Uncertainty

She won a gold medal for India as a wrestler, and while she eventually transitioned to a different sport—Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)—the maverick that Ritu Phogat is, she switched from dreaming about medals to chasing belts.

- Samreen Razzaqui

NEW DELHI: But now, with MMA set to debut at the 2026 Asian Games, Phogat is once again dreaming of representing India and bringing home a medal.

The 2016 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, now 31, is signed with ONE Championship, one of Asia's top MMA promotions. After taking a break from the sport to focus on motherhood, she lost her most recent fight to Ayaka Miura. With MMA's inclusion in the Asian Games, she's aiming for a comeback on the continental stage in Aichi-Nagoya.

"This is quite exciting news for all MMA players, including me," Phogat told HT. "The government should create a federation, conduct trials soon, and provide the best training to those selected."

She points out that MMA is still in its early stages in India and lacks proper training infrastructure. "We don't have proper training in India, but I hope that we can soon provide world-class resources for our athletes," she added.