Ritu Phogat to fight Lin Heqin of China at ONE: Battleground on July 30

Indian MMA star Ritu Phogat is set to make her MMA return as she will be fighting Lin Heqin of China at ONE: Battleground on July 30, 2021.

The announcement was made by ONE Championship today and the fight card will be headlined by the Muay-Thai Strawweight World Championship fight between Sam-A-Gaiyanghadao and Prajanchai PK Saenchai Muay Thai Gym.

Also on the card is the return of former two-division champion Aung La N Sang who will go up against Leonardo Ataides of Brazil in a Middleweight bout.

Ritu will be stepping into the circle for the first time after her showdown with Bi Nguyen at ONE: Dangal and will be looking to make a statement. Earlier, she had expressed her interest in re-entering the ONE Atomweight Grand Prix and said that her next fight will be the key for the same.

“Right now, I am focusing and preparing for my next match. I want to win my next match and book a place in Atomweight Grand Prix. If I get my next match as soon as possible and perform well or finish my opponent, I will let [ONE Championship] know that I deserve to be a part of the Grand Prix. If I can be a part of the Grand Prix after defeating [my next opponent], I will do that,” Ritu had said. 

The Indian Tigress currently holds a professional record of 4-1 to her name and was on an impressive four-fight winning streak prior to her defeat against Bi Nguyen at ONE: Dangal. Lin Heqin on the other hand currently has a professional record of 14-2-1 to her name.

Heqin is riding high on an 11-fight winnings streak with her latest win coming against Jomary Torres in ONE Championship back in 2019. The Chinese fighter has 7 TKO/KO finishes in her resume along with 6 decision wins. Her last defeat came back in 2016 and her only other defeat in her professional MMA career came against Meng Bo in 2015.

Ritu will not be the first Indian opponent for Heqin as she had earlier faced one of the most promising names in the Indian MMA circuit, Akshata Khadtare at the WMMA World Championships in Russia back in 2017. It was Heqin that came out on top in the fight via a decision after three rounds.

What do you think of the fight between these two? Let us know in the comment section of the article below.

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