Arunachal's fighter Jowkhum Dili Singpho wins bronze medal for India at GAMMA Asain MMA championships

By-Indira Chetry

GUWAHATI: Jowkhum Dili Singpho (23) from Bordumsa, Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh has won a Bronze medal on August 27 at the Global Association of Mixed Martial Arts (GAMMA) Asian Championship in Kyrgyzstan.

23-years-old Jowkhum, fought in the 52 kg Striking MMA. Lost in the semi-finals to a worthy opponent.

Striking MMA had a different ruleset than regular MMA where takedowns were allowed but no ground fighting was allowed, said Jowkhum.

Arunachalee fighter Jowkhum raises donations for his flight and travel arrangements due to a shortage of funds before traveling to Kyrgyzstan.

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Talking to InsideNE, Jowkhum said, “I quit my higher education and joined martial arts at Bidang MMA in Guwahati from 2016 to 2018, in addition to completing a three-month Combat Clan at Kolkata.”

Therefore, grooming in professional line "I joined Abrasumente Academy in Itanagar, Arunachal for 6 months module," he added.

Jowkhum said, “even after that I joined Cross-train Fight Club in New Delhi, which is a prominent academy that has produced numerous national and international champions. I got selected for the c'ship earlier in the month of March during a state-level event held in Bangalore."

On asking about how was his experience in Kyrgyzstan, Jowkhum said, "the Kyrgyz people are extremely nice and friendly and have shown us great hospitality."

Talking to InsideNE, Jowkhum’s mother Mailu Moko, a casual worker at the Water resource Department in Bordumsa, Arunachal Pradesh said, “I am pleased and proud of my son. In some situations, I have seen his struggle. Once I was unable to effort his expanses, but thanks to the generosity of my village residents, Devansh Yadav (Changlang DC), Samlung Mossang (Bordumsa MLA), Chowna Mein (Deputy CM) and Zingnu Namchoom (Namsai MLA).”

Fights begin and end with handshakes but when it comes to battling, there are times when muscle strength is not as important as it formerly was because the enemy has already provided you with enough energy to win, Jowkhum said to InsideNE.

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