&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "MMA star Ritu Phogat's sweet revelation: 'My son recognises me from my photos'")
Ritu Phogat's dream of becoming India's first MMA world champion remains firmly on track as the former wrestling star prepares for her next chapter in the cage. Speaking exclusively to WION, the Indian MMA fighter revealed that her long-term objective has not changed despite taking some time away from competition to be with her family. "I took this path in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to become the first MMA world champion from India. The goal is still the same. I am continuing my training and focusing on that target," said Ritu, at launch of Last One Standing, a first-of-its-kind national strength and endurance championship, where she was also announced as the event brand ambassador.
The 31-year-old is currently spending time with her family and son following her last fight but is already planning her return to full-fledged training. "Right now I am with my family and giving some time to my son after the last fight. But soon my camp will be in Kyrgyzstan or Thailand. I am thinking about my next fight after September," she said.
Ritu added that she continues to work under the guidance of a coach based between Kyrgyzstan and Thailand. “There is a coach from Kyrgyzstan at Tez Striking Gym and he lives in Thailand. He guides me and sends me the training schedule. Right now I am in India and working under him.” Having transitioned from wrestling to mixed martial arts, Ritu has witnessed the rapid rise of MMA in India firsthand. According to her, the sport has come a long way in a short span of time. "If you see, five or six years ago people had to be told what MMA was. Today people know what MMA is. So you can understand how much it has grown in India. It will take some time, but it is going to reach the top," she said.
Ritu also opened up about the challenges of balancing elite-level sport with motherhood. The former Commonwealth Wrestling Championship gold medallist admitted that being away from her son during training camps is emotionally difficult. "When you become a mother, it gets difficult. When you go for training, you miss your son. Emotionally, it is tough. But when you have a good family supporting you, it helps a lot. Then you can train without any worries," she explained.
Sharing a heartwarming anecdote, Ritu revealed that her son has already started recognising her. "For a few months now, he has known my name. When he sees my photo, we ask who it is and then he says, 'Ritu Phogat'. I don't know where he learns these things from. But he does boxing too and goes 'Dishoom Dishoom'," she laughed.
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Ritu praised the fitness racing format for encouraging people to embrace healthier lifestyles. "It is not difficult. If you work hard for something, then it is not difficult. If you don't work hard, then anything will feel difficult. A lot of people are becoming more aware about fitness now and getting involved in it," she said.
The MMA fighter also revealed that she has already experienced the challenge herself. “I did one fitness test once in Singapore with my team. It felt good. If there is any fitness challenge, I am ready to do it. I like challenges.” With an overseas training camp on the horizon and a potential return after September, Ritu remains determined to chase the dream that first took her from the wrestling mat to the MMA cage, becoming India's first MMA world champion.
