Ritu Phogat vs Stamp Fairtex:
About three years ago in New Delhi, as an exuberant emcee talked about the lively prizefighting scene that was taking place in Singapore, a well-known minor girl from the first clan of Indian wrestling was sat in awe under the dazzling arclights and her gaze remained focused on the ground.
At times, Ritu Phogat would look at her father, Mahavir Phogat, in the front row. When she was warm, a gentle smile would slip from her in rare moments. The discomfort was intense. The contrast was sharp, the irony awe-inspiring and the cost of being famous harsh.
Phogat’s first fame experience was concerned with awkward poses and pre-prepared answers. One of her quotes stood out as a massive flagpole in the sea of superficial rightness. “I want to be the world champion,” she stated, not even looking at the people she was talking to.
It’s inaccurate to say that the speech was a powerful sign of her determination. It wasn’t. It was as standard an expression as anyone could think of and, without doubt, in that particular moment, that was the only sentence she used with conviction.
Winning run
In two and a half years, Phogat talked and won seven of the nine fights at the Singapore-based ONE Championship. Three of the victories were via stoppage, either technically knockouts or submissions.
Her first loss against Bi Nguyen had been via a split decision. The loss she suffered on Friday against Stamp Fairtex marked the sole occasion that Phogat could submit the fight. Unfortunately, it was in the final round at the end of the Atomweight Grand Prix.
“I believe that defeat isn’t a gift to those who don’t accept it. It could be a stumbling block in my life, but certainly not the final chapter,” she declared following the loss.
After her defeat, the dream of becoming a world champion has ended, at least for the moment. However, this shouldn’t take away any of the incredible feats that Phogat’s leap has accomplished.
Being a member of the renowned wrestlers’ family, Phogat’s athletic destiny seemed pre-determined but to her credit, she took the initiative to realize it with aplomb. The medals kept coming in, and she soon reached the top of the list in the Commonwealth Championships, Asian Championships and U-23 World Championships.
But, the further advancement brought regular interactions with her cousin Vinesh Phogat at the mat. So, finally, Ritu decided to try MMA’s chance, and when Vinesh began to pursue her Olympics target, Ritu’s MMA career took off.
She was on a four-bout unbeaten streak, established her mark on the circuit with her incredible grappling abilities, masterfully executed her ground-and-pound move, and developed an impressive overhead right, got the approval of Conor McGregor, and came near to making an era in MMA.
Standing out
In actuality, of Mahavir’s four daughters, only Ritu is the youngest and has seen significant success in recent times. Babita has shifted from the mat for full-time political work. Geeta and Sangeeta returned to the mat after timeouts for injury and maternity, respectively, during March’s wrestling nationals.
In the meantime, Ritu has been pumping and pounding her way through Singapore. In a place far from the clumsy town of Balali, She has slowly but steadily emerged from the shadow of looming that defined her.
Being a solo entrepreneur, however has been an enormous problem.
“It has been a tough time. I was not at home to watch my sister give birth. I was not home to be there when my other sister was married. I’ve many sacrifices to achieve the dream of this,” the woman said following defeating Jenelyn Olsen. It was a win that earned her a place in the semi-finals.
When issues with the mental health of elite athletes are being addressed with the compassion they deserve, the loneliness of Phogat–in general and inside the bubble must not be overlooked.
“I haven’t been away from my sisters so time. Even in competitions and camps in the past, when I would travel far from home, My sisters were always there. So it’s a new adventure,” she once said.
Keen Learner
Fortunately for her, her coach Siyar Bahadurzada has been at her side at Evolve Gym. “The most appealing aspect of saying about Ritu is that she’s highly competent in coaching. It’s all coaches could want.
She’s very dedicated and adamant, both physically and mentally. The fact that she is in a different place from the family members is a significant issue for her, but she has managed herself very effectively,” he said.
Bahadurzada could have a clue about going home.
Born into an elite family of businessmen in the war-ravaged Afghanistan, Bahadurzada lived through the most horrific aspects of the Soviet occupation. The memories of his childhood include walking through bloody human remains in street corners of Kabul and the dreadful sound of rockets blasting through the neighborhood.
“I have seen many things. As a kid, I witnessed things that even soldiers with training require a psychologist to help with. It’s hard to stay mentally sharp,” he recalled.
Bahadurzada’s parents moved to the Netherlands at the age of 15. Then, he began to develop an interest in MMA and then followed it up with Shooto, a Japanese martial arts style. He then was crowned the world middleweight champion and was, at the same time, becoming his first-ever Afghan world champion in combat sports.
“My 21-year career in MMA has taught me that the only key to success is to stay hungry. I see a lot of hunger in Ritu, and I am sure she will achieve great success,” said the fighter declared before Friday’s fight.
Bahadurzada and his team must diversify Phogat’s play for this to happen. An accomplished wrestler, Phogat’s ground game is awe-inspiring; however, her striking ability must be modified.
Her match against Fairtex was a classic instance of Phogat’s lack of depth that cost her. Phogat’s sole offensive strategy was to be a takedown, and when Fairtex refused to take it and fought back, the Indians could not come up with a solution.
Although she could knock Fairtex down, Fairtex’s defense was evident. The 24-year-old Thai was able to clinch Phogat in an impressive leg lock and then clinched the match by launching an adroit armbar.
Phogat stated that she would shock those she was fighting with her exceptional skills in her previous encounters. However, aside from last year’s match with Cambodian Kun Khmer exponent Nou Srey Pov, she never demonstrated her standing skills.
“We acknowledge that there are weaknesses within her play. However, as a coach, I prefer to focus on my athletes and their strength before fights.
I think that Ritu’s ability isn’t to defeat the majority of fighters in the world. To me, every fight is like fighting in a war. When you advance, I destroy the bridge in the back, so moving forward is the only way forward. And Ritu will continue to move forward.” Bahadurzada had said before the match.
Phogat confessed to the same after the fight. “I will ensure that I am stronger and more determined than I have ever been. The hope and love of my fans have inspired me to fight back stronger,” she said.
