Shusmita Thapa Magar wins professional MMA debut in Bengaluru

Shusmita Thapa Magar has embarked on her professional mixed martial arts journey, marking her debut with a decisive victory over India's Shalu Sharma. The fight took place as a co-main event at the Ronin Fighting Championship-3 in Bengaluru on Saturday night.

Magar, already a seasoned competitor with a professional Muay Thai record of 7-0 and a kickboxing record of 2-2, showcased her skills throughout the bout. She had previously competed at Ronin Fighting Championship-2, but that was in kickboxing, where she also defeated Aarti Khatri by unanimous decision.

In her MMA debut, Magar appeared comfortable and in control, even when Sharma attempted to leverage grappling. Magar skillfully navigated Sharma's attempts and effectively used Sharma's grappling against her. Over the course of the three five-minute rounds, Magar consistently dominated the fight. In the second round, she secured a dominant position on the mat, delivering repeated blows that resulted in a cut on Sharma's eyebrow.

The third round continued with Magar maintaining offensive pressure. While pleased with the win, Magar expressed a degree of dissatisfaction, noting her inability to secure a knockout in her professional MMA debut. The victory nonetheless marks a strong start to her career in this new discipline.