South Asian Games gold medallist, wrestler Dhami outplays Bista in maiden Mixed Martial Arts fight
KATHMANDU, JULY 16
Koshish Shrestha won the main event of the Omega Championship Fight, while the 13th South Asian Games gold medal winning wrestler Sangita Dhami knocked out Rajina Bista in her maiden Mixed Martial Arts bout here on Saturday.
Shrestha earned the technical knockout victory over India's Vicky Gwade in the lightweight bout of the MMA fight organised by the Omega Championship Fight and co-sanctioned by MMA associations of Nepal and India. Gwade's professional debut in MMA ended in a disappointment after he could not survive the onslaught from Nepali fighter Shrestha in the five-minute three-round bout.
In another pro bout, it took just six seconds for Hansraj Samata to knock fellow Indian fighter Prakhar Shubasung down to floor. The two fighters had just entered the cage and the bantamweight category match was already over.
Along with the medals, Shrestha and Samata earned Rs 45,000 apiece - Rs 15,000 each as match money, winning bonus and knockout bonus. Gwade and Shubasung received Rs 15,000 each.
Apart from the two professional bouts, six amateur fights and three kickboxing bouts were held in the first season of the championship.
In the lone women fight of the championship, the SA Games gold medallist Dhami from Lock n Roll Jiu Jitsu earned a technical knockout victory over Bista in the strawweight bout. The first Nepali wrestler to win gold medal in the regional sporting extravaganza held in 2019, Dhami did not allow Bista play freely and took her down to the floor for the second time before referees stopped the bout in the second round.
"I was a little nervous in the beginning as this was my first MMA fight. But as I entered the cage, I played for gold, as usual," said Dhami after the bout. "I am grateful to coach Dibij Piya and his family as they have been taking care of me all the time. I could not have reached to this stage without their help and support," she added. "I know this is just the beginning and I have a long way to go in MMA," said Dhami. She earned Rs 21,000 - Rs 7,000 each as match money, winning bonus and knockout bonus, while Bista received Rs 7,000.
In other amateur bouts, Samar Aryal defeated Jordan Tendhar Ghale in featherweight, Allen Thakali beat Karan Bahadur Magarati in bantamweight, and Dikpal Karki outplayed Dhruv Shirodkar of India in strawweight - all in unanimous decisions.
Likewise, Ashutosh Mulmi beat Arun Lama in lightweight, while India's Atharva Deshmukh won the featherweight category bout against Nepal's Able Thapa on submission (Rear Naked Choke). All 10 fighters earned Rs 7,000 each, while the winners received additional Rs 7,000 as winning bonus. Deshmukh got another Rs 7,000 for winning on submission.
The organisers had announced a total of 10 bouts - three pros and seven amateurs.
But one each in pro and amateur categories were cancelled on medical grounds. OCF President Meghbar Chemjong thanked all the stakeholders for making the event a grand success. "We will organise the second season of OCF in near future and also invite fighters from other countries apart from Nepal and India," Chemjong said.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 17, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.