Matrix Fight Night has become India’s leading MMA promotion in just a span of two years.
Tiger Shroff and Krishna Shroff
Q1. Dialing it back, what led you to pursue Mixed Martial Arts out of all the sports to practice and to promote?
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- The reason I wanted to promote the sport of Mixed Martial Arts purely stems from passion. I’ve been following the sport for over a decade now and am extremely inspired by its athletes. It takes a special kind of human being to do what these athletes do and that has always been very intriguing to me. Once I began practicing the sport, I only grew more fond of it. MMA has given me confidence and discipline like nothing else I’ve tried my hand at in the past. It’s been a life-changing decision and my best one to date.
Q2. Can you tell us about Matrix Fight Night and how that was conceptualized?
- Matrix Fight Night has become India’s leading MMA promotion in just a span of two years. We decided to launch MFN in association with our gym, MMA Matrix. It is an opportunity for our Indian fighters to showcase their talent and skill set on a bigger scale and allow them to garner more experience to get better and be a stepping stone to be known globally through our shows, which we host every 3 months across the world (Due to the pandemic, we had to cancel our shows in Russia and London this year; however, we’ve had two shows back-to-back in Dubai after 3 successful shows in India).
Q3. Has the MMA landscape in terms of infrastructure and training, changed in India?
- I truly believe we are the first to take this forward in India. MMA Matrix was conceptualized with just that in mind. We wanted to create a better infrastructure for our athletes to better their overall performances. At the same time, MMA Matrix provides stability and income through full-time jobs for our fighters as well. A lot of people are intrigued to learn MMA these days; however, the knowledge and demonstration of correct form and technique lack big time. One of our biggest USPs at Matrix is the fact that most of our trainers are currently active professional fighters themselves.
Q4 Do women fighters in the country struggle more due to societal norms and preconceived notions? How has MFN changed that?
-I don’t think it’s so much of societal norms or preconceived notions; however, I simply believe that we lack in numbers of women who have pursued MMA to the extent of fighting professionally. MFN has introduced a couple of women’s bouts in our past shows and continue to sign new talent whenever we come across any.
Q5 You have a personal story to tell regarding your own fitness how much has MMA impacted this journey?
- I began my journey into fitness about 5 years ago but dwelled into MMA when MMA Matrix opened 2 years ago. I believe it played a huge factor in my overall fitness... I thought I was fit until I was made to do just ONE 3-minute round of pad work at the gym. The level of fitness and the mental strength it takes to be successful in this sport is on another level and is what’s always intrigued me so much. I now love to incorporate boxing into my workout regime a couple of times in the week to get some cardio in... For someone who absolutely hates cardio, this makes it bearable for me. I’ve also introduced a bunch of my friends to it and they’re now hooked!
Q6 For a lot of people out there MMA is bad/violent / injure you? What do you have to say such comments?
- The people who still think that this sport has got to live under a rock or something. The first thing they teach you in Mixed Martial Arts is RESPECT. That’s what the sport is all about. Yes, they’re fighting and there will potentially be injuries (Just like in any other sport), but they’re fighting under certain rules and guidelines. There are techniques and an incomprehensible amount of dedication, discipline, drive, and focus behind what one sees. They’re called professional fighters for a reason... You’re not going to see these guys brawling on the streets.
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