MMA
Ritu Phogat loses in World Grand Prix Championship Final
Ritu lost her dominance to Thailand's Stamp Fairtex in the second round of the final match who went on to eventually have the last word.
Indian wrestler-turned-MMA-fighter Ritu Phogat (Source: Getty)
Ritu Phogat's dream of becoming the first Indian woman to win a Grand Prix Championship remains unfulfilled as she lost the finals to Thailand's Stamp Fairtex.
Stamp won the coveted silver belt at the ONE Women's Atomweight World Grand Prix Championship Final at ONE: WINTER WARRIORS.
The much-awaited showdown began with a very dominating performance by the "The Indian Tigress" in Round 1. However, just when everyone thought Ritu had an upper-hand in this finals, Stamp completely choked Ritu with her legs and to win Round 2 and the finals.
When the ONE tournament was announced in October 2020, Ritu was just beginning her MMA career. By the end of the year, she had four wins in her bag which made her eligible to challenge the division's elite.
After an outstanding tournament run, Ritu was confident and believed in herself to become the division's No.1 contender. In a post-match interview, Ritu had said, "I think Stamp is petrified of me because she has seen my outstanding wrestling skills," Phogat says of the former Muay Thai and kickboxing queen.
Even if Ritu has lost the championship, she has made the country proud on one of the biggest MMA platforms in the world.
