Unbeaten Indian Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) prospect Ritu Phogat could potentially get a world title shot in 2021, according to ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.
Phogat currently has a 2-0 record in the promotion but hasn't fought since a unanimous decision win over Chiao Chen Wu on February 28 this year. With the ONE Championship's schedule thrown into disarray by the coronavirus pandemic, Phogat has been biding her time while continuing to train in Singapore's Evolve MMA gym. However, her calendar is expected to start filling up with fight dates soon beginning with one in October with hopefully a chance to bid for the title in the women's atomweight (48-52 kg) division.
"Ritu plans to be a lot more active this year. She's fighting in October this year and I think after that she will be fighting in November and December this year. That sets her up really well and if she continues to win, she could be up for a World Championship title shot in mid- or late-2021. I expect big things from Ritu in 2021," Sityodtong said. The current champion, Angela Lee (10-2), has held the title since May 2016.
The fact that Ritu, who had a promising career in wrestling, could get a title shot a little over two years since she first laced a pair of MMA gloves in February last year suggests the kind of expectations Sityodtong and ONE Championship have from the 25-year-old. Ritu will also be featured in the reality television series The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition alongside the franchise's elite talent, including former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson.
"She's only going to be in a single episode so it will take just two or three days of her time in which we will shoot. But we wanted to do it because it (will) provide exposure to build her brand around the world. It will be a great opportunity for her to showcase her personality and story to the world in a non-fighting environment," Sityodtong said.
While ONE Championship is clearly building up Ritu's profile, they are also looking at other talent. Although a proposed plan to build a league in India has been shelved, the Asia-based franchise is looking to increase the Indian talent in its roster. While Ritu, a silver medallist at the U-23 World Championships, is their most accomplished Indian talent, Sityodtong suggested there might be others with her background looking to make the shift.
"People don't realise that India has a very rich history of martial arts, especially in wrestling. India has many phenomenal wrestlers. In the next three to five years, India will produce a world champion in MMA. This is apart from Ritu. We have Arjun Bhullar and Garry Mangat (both Canadians of Punjab origin) and we also have signed some high-level wrestlers.
"We haven't announced it yet but we have some Commonwealth Games-level, some Olympic Games-level wrestlers. They would have come already but we couldn't bring them over to Singapore because of the coronavirus situation," Sityodtong said.
He expects more high-level wrestlers to make the shift. "We aren't just looking for athletes with an MMA background. The most important thing is whether (prospective signings) have the talent, mental strength, the desire and the humility to learn and grow. Do they have the World Championship mindset and instinct? The reality is that there is not that much money in wrestling. The level of training they have to put into MMA is the same that they put into their wrestling careers but the rewards are much greater.
"A lot of athletes have already reached out to us. They see ONE Championship as a path to make more money and make history. When they see India get their first world champion in Ritu, there will be even more," says Sityodtong.