The SFL has arrived!
The scene for MMA in Asia just keeps getting bigger and bigger. It seems that after ONEFC came onto the scene, MMA promotions and camps are popping up every week. The biggest and latest addition particularly for us here in Pakistan is a promotion that has just started up in India called Super Fight League or SFL. The SFL is the first pro MMA league in India and it is promising to put on some good shows thus far. It is being headed by Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt and Raj Kundra with MMA agent Ken Favia (a veteran in the business, former agent to many UFC fighters) and MMA pioneer Danial Isaac (personal friend of mine) acting as CEO and COO respectively.
First show is set for March 11th in Mumbai and is being headlined by MMA veterans Bob Sapp and James Thompson. Although these guys aren’t exactly super stars, they are legit MMA guys with loads of experience who have fought MMA super stars. For the first Pro Show in India I would say that that is a very good start.
Other than the main event between Sapp and Thompson the rest of the card is to be 6 Indian fighters in separate weight classes squaring off against 6 fighters from around the world. Who these fighters are to be we are going to see come March 11th but don’t expect anyone world class. Not to take anything away from the accomplishments of our MMA brothers across the border but I don’t think the level of competition in India has reached the point where their fighters can hold their own even against UFC and Strikeforce rejects. Not to say that day is never going to come, because come it will. Indian MMA has come a long way since I visited Tigers Gym in 2009 and the level of their fighters is only going to increase. They simply have not yet put in the required time and experience it requires to fight on the same level of professional fighters in the west. But once again it is only a matter of time. So it is interesting to see who the SFL brings in to take on the Indian fighters and even more interesting to see how these guys fare. Regardless we here at PAKMMA are with you all the way.
Now the million-dollar question of will there be Pakistani fighters in the SFL. Although we here at PAKMMA have not received any detailed or official word from them, you can be quite assured that if the SFL is want to get it’s ratings up, a Pakistan vs. India fight will definitely go a long way in making that happen. It’s just too good to pass up. So get ready to see some Pakistan vs. India match ups! I’m excited!
So all in all this is very good for MMA in Pakistan, good for MMA in South Asia, good for Asian MMA and food for MMA in general. SFL has stated that they are here for the long haul and they are, unlike a lot of new promotions that start up and expect to get rich after one show, patient and understanding that they may not make any money for a good year. That shows a level of understanding and commitment to the sport that in my books assures SFL’s success.
We’re watching this spot and PAKMMA will continue to give you updates on the SFL as well as other relevant promotions and gyms across Asia.