Ritu Phogat stumbles at the final hurdle
India’s Ritu Phogat, ranked fourth, lost to second-ranked contender Stamp Fairtex in the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Grand Prix Championship final in Singapore.
Phogat was forced into an armbar submission in the second round of the bout.
Phogat was aggressive with her takedowns early, closing the distance on Fairtex, who attacked with kicks from range. However,
Fairtex showcased great takedown defence, preventing Phogat from advancing her positions.
In the second round, Fairtex locked in a triangle choke after
Phogat took her to the mat. She then quickly transitioned to an armbar, which forced the tap at the 2:14 mark.
If Phogat had won the final, she would have become the first Indian woman to earn a Grand Prix title and the silver belt alongside the honour of becoming the next challenger for the current ONE Atomeweight champion Angela Lee.
Phogat switched to MMA from wrestling and her current MMA record stands at 7-2.