Violence by itself is a dangerous activity. Its presence in everyday life is a constant. There are certain people for whom it is a way of life. However, when it is done in a controlled environment, it cannot be denied there is a certain amount of visceral satisfaction one experiences when watching it. Now in Goa in December, the Art of Combat will be held in December where around 60 MMA fighters from all over the country and three international fighters from England and Tajikistan will be participating. The people involved in the sport come from different backgrounds. Having different aspirations, dreams and hopes, the fighters make for a very interesting group.
Igor Smart, an English fighter with an OCI card will be making his professional MMA debut on AOC12, after making his way up through the amateur rankings and now developing a reputation as a fighter with huge potential on the professional stage. He lives and trains in Goa. He says, “I have been involved in MMA for four to five years. I always enjoyed fighting. When I was little, I got into trouble for it. One day I went to a proper boxing gym and realized there was more to it than just swinging. I decided to get good at it. The more I practised the better I got. Eventually, I met Bonny van Oortmerssen- Sinary and I just kept going. I fight in the 62 weight category and I have a 6-2 record in MMA. I am training hard, resting hard and fighting easy. I practise around 4 hours everyday."
He has two hour skill sessions every evening Monday to Friday, that is striking and grappling which includes boxing, kickboxing, ju-jitsu and wrestling. He adds, "In the morning I do cycling or weight training. I intend to do this for as long as possible till the day I die.”
For the only girl in the group, Selena Nunes is 13, has amazing spirit, spars with the boys and trains 3 to 4 times a week. She had a bad experience in her first fight and lost but she is a girl who is very shy and she says in a very matter of fact way that she liked fighting and she got attracted to the sport.
The woman behind the entire show, Bonny van Oortmerssen- Sinary is a striker who likes to hit and punch and kick. She loves the fight, the challenge, the excitement, the adrenaline, she says there is nothing like it on earth. A resident in Goa for 12 years, the South African born Bonny is the India President of World Kickboxing Organisation.
She fervently believes that the sport has a future in Goa. She says, “Look at these guys, look at their passion and dedication. It says it all. I have been running the gym for eleven years and the fight series has been going for seven years. This is number twelve in the series and every year we are getting more and more fighters. There are three title belts here. There is a huge future in the sport in Goa. We are a little behind the rest of India but we will catch up. Goa is a fabulous destination and we try to bring all the fighters here. I have a huge network of international fighters because I used to fight too. We have a huge future ahead, no doubt about that.”
The sport attracts all kinds. There are people who took up the sport because they were being bullied in school. Joel Gracias was bullied brutally in school. Today, ofcourse it is a distant memory. He laughs and says, “No one will think of bullying me now. I don’t flaunt my skills. I practise very hard and I give my best in the bout”.
Joel fought on AOC since AOC8, earning the opportunity to compete for WKO Goa State Title Belt on AOC11. He lost narrowly, but returns this year as an MMA athlete. The sport also helps bring some focus in some people's lives. Roman Bikbov a Ukranian from Tajikistan loves the sport because when he is practising it helps him forget everything else. He lives in Goa with his family for six years and spends his time training with the Tribal Warriors. Last year, he became the Goa State Champion and returns this year, to defend his title.
The sport may be violent and is a cause of injury to the athletes which may take time to heal but it is an all consuming passion for all the participants. Violence may be harmful but it certainly has an appeal and the growing popularity of the sport is an indication. Perhaps, one day Goa could become the centre of the sport in India and play host to several championships featuring top MMA fighters from all over.