New Delhi, Feb 12 (UNI) Wrestler-turned-Mixed Martial Arts fighter Ritu Phogat on Wednesday said that she is putting in the hard yards to achieve her dream of becoming India's first MMA world champion.
Ritu Phogat gave a glimpse of her newly acquired skills at the National Sports Club of India here in the national capital in the presence of her fans and media.
Ritu, who had bagged the 2016 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships gold and silver at the 2017 World Under-23 Championships, won her debut MMA fight at the One: Age of Dragons event, beating South Korea's Nam Hee Kim in under three minute.
'I am honored to showcase my skills in front of all the fans and media here in India. 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, ' Ritu Phogat stated.
'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, she added.
When asked about the difference in training between wrestling and MMA, Ritu said the latter requires more stamina and endurance.
"Wrestling bouts last for 6 minutes but MMA fights last for 25 minutes so we need more endurance and stamina. Training is as hard in MMA as it was in wrestling. Timing is a little different in MMA but I train for the same duration of 5-6 hours daily," Ritu Phogat said.
The 25-year-old from Haryana, daughter of the legendary wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat, will next feature in her second MMA bout on February 28 in Singapore.
In the main event, two-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand will defend her ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World Title against Janet 'J T' Todd of the United States.
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