Ritu Phogat Next Fight in ONE Championship Announced: Indian MMA Superstar Returns to Action at ONE 171

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"The Indian Tigress" is ready to roar again. ONE Championship has announced the highly anticipated return of Indian MMA superstar Ritu Phogat, who will face Japanese submission-specialist Ayaka Miura at ONE 171: Qatar on 20 February.

Lusail Sports Arena will host this exciting atomweight MMA clash. Phogat will return to the action after a nearly two-and-half-year hiatus. She last competed in September 2022 against former ONE World Title challenger Tiffany Teo.

While away from the active competition, Phogat got married in November 2022 and, in 2024, gave birth to a baby boy. Now, "The Indian Tigress" is ready to pick up where she left off.

The wrestler-turned-MMA fighter boasts a solid record of 7-3, finishing three of her top-class opponents. The 30-year-old made her ONE debut in November 2019, demolishing South Korean Nam Hee Kim in the first round. She then went on to create a four-fight win streak.

In 2021, she became the first Indian woman fighter to reach the final of a prestigious MMA tournament. There, she fought three-sport ONE World Champion Stamp Fairtex but unfortunately lost that match via submission.

Making a comeback will be a daunting task for the Indian superstar, but she is no stranger to challenges. The famous Phogat sisters overcame immense hardships to become trailblazers in wrestling, and now Ritu wants to prove that she has the heart of a champion in MMA.

"After focusing on my family and becoming a mother in the last two years, I am now ready to resume my mixed martial arts career in ONE Championship. It has been a long journey back to the Circle, but I am more than excited to compete against the greatest martial arts athletes in the world once again," Phogat was quoted as saying in a release after her return to the ONE Circle was announced.

"I am proud to represent India on the global stage, and I cannot wait to walk down that ramp. I would like to thank all of my fans for their support. 'The Indian Tigress' is back and ready to pounce!"

Phogat's opponent, however, is a very dangerous grappling veteran. Miura is known worldwide for her signature scarf-hold Americana submission. The former ONE Women's Strawweight World Title challenger now competes in the atomweight division.

In her last three fights, she has been in sublime form, dominating all her opponents mercilessly. She holds a record of 7-4, and six of those wins came by finishes. Phogat and Miura are a classic grappler vs. grappler matchup and a submission finish is highly likely in this match.

ONE 171 Fight Card

• ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Championship Bout: Jonathan Haggerty (c) vs. Wei Rui
• ONE Strawweight MMA World Championship Bout: Joshua Pacio (c)bvs. Jarred Brooks (ic)
• Welterweight Bout: Roberto Soldić vs. Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev
• Featherweight Bout: Shamil Gasanov vs. Martin Nguyen
• Bantamweight Bout: Bibiano Fernandes vs. Kevin Belingon
• Women's Atomweight Bout: Ritu Phogat vs. Ayaka Miura

When and how to watch Ritu Phogat's next fight in India?

The ONE 171 Qatar event will be broadcast live from Lusail Sports Arena on February 20, 2025. Fans in India can catch the event live via Star Sports Select 2 and Disney+ Hotstar from 7:30 PM IST.