Combat sport in India to get a kickstart

This evening, two cardiac ambulances will be waiting outside when a homegrown Malayalee fondly known as 'Cutman' and a Sikh NRI nicknamed 'Saint Lion' drop their shirts, bite down on their teeth guards and step barefoot into a hexagonal cage in Worli. Here, in captivity, the two stretch-shorts-clad gladiators will channel rivalry to punch, kick and thwack each other everywhere but the groin, the back of the neck and the eye.At the end of this gruesome cultural exchange, India and its old pal, Bahrain, would be the ones shaking hands.
"Sports are a very effective diplomatic tool," says Lucas Carrano of Brave Combat Federation (BCF), a Bahrain-based promotional organisation for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), which is making its debut in India today with a desi Federer versus Nadal version of the combat sport. Bangalore-based Abdul Muneer (35)--originally from Kerala and also known as the 'Sultan of Calicut'-- is an MMA veteran who wants to prove he's still the top Indian fighter while Canada-based Gurdarshan Mangat (30)--who used to be overweight before famously shaping up to join the testosterone-addled world of MMA-- has recently put on about 10 kg just to be able to face his nemesis. Hosted at the Dome, NSCI, this fight will follow an aggressive international showdown between England's Carl Booth and France's Tahar Hadbi whose caged alter-egos are called 'The Bomber' and 'Fast Hands'. That one's most likely to end in a knockout.
Born less than 25 years ago, MMA—which was once even called "human cockfighting" by American politician John McCain--is the angrier cousin of boxing. In this simple spectator sport, the idea is to physically defeat the opponent using a combination of martial arts techniques as long as they fit into a set of rules. Internationally, this fast-growing sport now enjoys a rabid fan base, with audiences "feeling like they are entering the cage with the fighters," as Carrano puts it. So, for BCF--which was founded by the prince of Bahrain, His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to "unite the world through MMA" and which has seen many Indian expats screaming loudly at its events in Bahrain— India had long been a natural target. "India is one of the main economic partners of the Kingdom of Bahrain and has important cultural share with the Middle East," explains Carrano.
Besides, "it is also one of the biggest talent sources in the world," says Carrano, explaining why BCF is planning to invest more than $ 1 million in developing the sport in India. However, the MMA scene in India has the same problem that Bahrain had a few years ago. "It lacks organisation," says Carrano. "The fans have the passion for the sport but lack direct contact with international-level promoters."
In this scenario, when an international body invests in the sport locally, "it ends up developing the economy and creating job opportunities in the field," says Carrano.
Still, can the combat sport wrestle the great Indian shadow of cricket? "Unlike other sports, MMA events are not held bi-weekly and the time-frames--usually Friday or Saturday evening--have no direct competition," says Carrano.