Article on MMA Pakistan by bashir ahmad

ATTITUDE

simply because it goes unnoticed by sports officials. “Officially there’s no sanctioning body for the sport here in Thailand and it hasn’t been licensed. But we do have MMA training camps and facilities here and even hold smaller MMA events from time to time.” Indeed, despite popular gyms such as Tiger Muay Thai And Mixed Martial Arts holding seminars with personalities like Royce Gracie and Elvis Sinosic there still isn’t a premier organisation in the country. Alex explains: “MMA is still very new here in Thailand but it is getting more widespread.” Considering the acutely skilled stand-up technicians Thailand must be harbouring on its Muay Thai circuit, many will hope the country that’s already indirectly contributed so much to the sport soon becomes an MMA nation.

THAILAND

Ngoo Ditty 2-2 Though Ditty’s even record may not look imposing, having over 150 Muay Thai fights and a 9-1 amateur MMA record suggest there’s promise in the 23-year-old.

india

Location: Sub-continental Asia Population Density (per square mile): 930

new zealand

hong kong

RISING TALENT from

“A lot of people didn’t know what to expect. Some thought that FCC would probably be some karate tournament,” says Prashant Kumar, the organiser of Full Contact Championships, one of India’s small MMA promotions. MMA fight at Tigers’ gym

Location: South-east coast of China Population Density (per square mile): 16,442

MMA in New Zealand

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hong kong

Kenny Yeung 1-0 A Hong Kong native who trains out of Australia, Yueng may have only just started his MMA career but his background in Muay Thai is likely to serve him well.

Being home to the late Bruce Lee (in essence the original mixed martial artist) combat arts are ingrained into the culture of Hong Kong. It’s something that’s aiding the assimilation of MMA into the county’s culture says Michael Haskamp, one of the men behind Hong Kong’s Legend FC promotion. “MMA’s a sport that’s quickly gaining popularity here. Hong Kong audiences had never been exposed to MMA via any mass-market medium before our first event.” Since it began, in early 2010 with a show in front of 1,500 people, Legend FC has received an overwhelmingly positive response. Michael says: “Hong Kong’s at such a cultural and economic crossroads that people here are constantly being exposed to new things – so they’re very open-minded and forward-thinking. In this regard, one thing we focus on is ensuring that people new to the sport see MMA for what it really is: highly skilled and disciplined athletes who compete primarily for love of the sport.” MMA fans in Hong Kong have just recently been given the ability to watch the sport on cable television but watching the pay-per-view events in a group at a bar is common. “Because of the time difference, most events are shown early on Sunday mornings but that doesn’t stop people from dragging themselves out of bed and heading down to the pub with their friends for MMA over breakfast, even if they’ve had a huge Saturday night. It always draws a big crowd.”

“But after attending my shows, they were Location: Australasia zapped out.” Running since January 2009, Population Density (per square mile): 41 FCC’s found there’s limited awareness of MMA, but those who have been exposed have responded well says Prashant. In a “Coming back home to New Zealand nation that has little time for any sport other after 14 years away was a bit of shock than cricket and no regular MMA television programming, FCC still manages to attract for me,” says Nyra Phillips, who runs NZMMA, an around 300 people per event. “Since I don’t have an advertising budget, MMA retail shop and online portal for the sport in promotions are done through word of mouth and SMS,” the country. explains Prashant. Tigers MMA Academy, in Nashik, is RISING TALENT from the country’s top training facility and held the first event “After living in Hawaii for most new zealand in India during 2004, Clash of the Champions, organised of that time where MMA has by the All India Combat Sports Federation. Since then Rod McSwain 9-1 such a high profile, MMA in the promotion has held further contests and estimates Holding two domestic titles New Zealand was almost to have pulled in between 1,000 and 5,000 spectators. and being the head trainer at non-existent – and that The UFC seems keen on India as a possible location for Strike Force gym in Auckland was in 2007. To put it into a future event but Daniel Isaac, head trainer at Tigers’ suggests that welterweight perspective, that was when MMA Academy, has some reservations. “If the UFC can ‘Hot’ Rod McSwain has the the first MMA cage arrived in pull off an event in India it’d be great. Of course there’d ability to go far. the country.” be some challenges and hurdles since India isn’t a fighting country and most Indians prefer Bollywood and cricket as Though geographically close a spectator sport rather than watching fights.” But Daniel to Australia, a recently targeted territory for the UFC, New Zealand is adds: “In India, MMA still has a long way to go to compete with other sports, still laying the ground work for MMA, something that’s not helped by a but when MMA does become mainstream here it will be ready to rival fragmented attitude towards MMA training, Nyra says. “Gyms are still likely cricket – which is more religion than sport in India.” Prashant Kumar feels to offer stand-up and ground training rather than just MMA, and worse, confident of a UFC event’s success in the country. “India is a country with most still prefer to protect their ‘territory’ by preferring that their fighters the numbers. In a city like Mumbai this is something that the youth would don’t cross-train with other gyms.” Furthermore, television coverage has really look forward to. In fact, MMA cuts across all age barriers, and could been inconsistent. “UFC pay-per-views started in earnest in 2008 but K-1, attract huge crowds and a great response in India.” Dream and Showtime got dropped. Forget about watching WEC, M-1 Global or any other pay-per-view. When The Ultimate Fighter season six came out, Sky re-ran season RISING TALENT from two and never got past season four. I still get people asking india me, ‘Is UFC ever going to have another series?’” Alan Fenandes 2-1-0 However, testament to the grassroots popularity of ‘The Bull’ has represented MMA, there are a string of strong local events like ICNZ India in MMA and BJJ across the and Supremacy in Auckland that regularly draw around world and was the first fighter 500 people. Furthermore over 1,000 people attend from the country to fight mixed Punishment in Dunedin and a recent kickboxing card in martial arts abroad. Auckland featured a headlining MMA fight with Japanese Nyra Phillips Olympic judoka, Satoshi Ishii. used with permission of legend fighting championship

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