ANOTHER PROMISING INDIAN MMA FIGHTER is about to make a debut on ONE Championship.
Roshan Mainam Luwang, who hails from Manipur, has been a 4 time Delhi State Wrestling Champion. He's a member of the Guru Hanuman Akhara and works as a wrestling instructor at Singapore's famous Evolve MMA.
He made his pro debut in JSJ Fight League in Aizawl, has fought in Super Fight League's 2017 and 2018 seasons and is now ready for the bright lights on the Circle as he takes on Cambodia's Khon Sichan in the event "ONE Championship: Masters of Fate" Manila, Philippines on 8th November.
The bout will take place at ONE Championship's Flyweight division (61 kg / 135 lb).
Roshan's emergence in professional Mixed Martial Arts took place 3 years ago on 5th November 2016 when he secured a second round submission of Xico Zorin Mariia at JSJ Fight League 3. His next pro bout was in SFL 2017 a couple of months later, where he got submitted by Kantharaj Agasa in the first round. He turned right back and fought the very next week, submitting Pramod Kataria by a first round rear naked choke.
He returned to SFL a year later against Ateet Kelvin Gupta. Once again the fight did not go beyond the first round; Roshan took Ateet down, dropped some vicious elbows from the guard and finally progressed to ground and pound until the referee had to step in. Roshan won by TKO.
His next fight, taking place just two weeks later, was a rematch with Kantharaj Agasa who had beaten him earlier. This time, the fight was a lot tigher with Roshan displaying improved ground game and maturity. It was the first time he went the whole three rounds in his professional career. Kantharaj won the fight, via unanimous decision.
Now, Roshan is ready for the biggest bout of his career; fighting for a global promotion, outside India, against a foreign opponent.
His opponent Khun Sichan has a 3-4-0 professional record which is not very impressive on paper but what sets him apart is the fact that he has fought 4 times in ONE Championship in the past. He won 1 by split decision and lost 3 by stoppages, but the experience counts.
3 of Sichan's losses have come via submission, which plays right into Roshan's skill-set; he is known for being good on the ground.
But for Roshan, figting in front of a sold out crowd in Manila that's likely to support the fighter from Cambodia will be as much of a test as his opponent.
The bout will be the opening act in a card that will be headlined by a Strawweight Championship bout between two Philipino star martial artists Joshua Pacio and Rene Catalan.
It also features a superfight in the Women's Atomweight division, between ONE Muay Thai and Kickboxing two-sport champ Stamp Fairtex and top contender Bi Nguyen; the winner of which is likely to get a title shot against divisional champ Angela Lee. This bout is of particular interest to Indian fans as 3 Indian fighters - Asha Roka, Puja Tomar and Ritu Phogat - also fight in the same division and whoever falls short here might be matched up with one of them next.
Roshan and his opponent are expected to walk out shortly after 3 pm Indian Standard Time on 8th November.
The full fight card is as follows...