With more males between the ages of 18-34 in India than there are people in North America, the eastern nation is fertile ground for a potential MMA event put on the UFC. The country is part of Zuffa’s global plan, and we had a chance to speak with MMA pioneer in India, Daniel Isaacs, about the potential market for MMA in the nation. Isaacs runs Tigers Gym.
The UFC is interested in coming to India. With over 300 million males 18 to 34 in India that’s staggering.
But those are just statistics, business statistics. Not usually practically applicable. (smiles) I’ve been here at ground zero for a while now and i know how difficult it is to promote a sport which is not understood.
How are things different in other parts of the world?
The difference with Japan , Europe and the US is that they went through the ‘evolution’ period during the early UFCs; that hasnt happened here nationally as yet.
How is MMA perceived in India?
People on an average still think that the Great Khali is a ‘great’ fighter. (smiles) And they also think that Jackie Chan, Jet Lie are the greatest fghters that ever lived. (laughs) Stuff like that. But seriously I would love to sit down with the UFC scouts who plan to come down to India and get their foundation laid. Because that would help solve many problems that they would face. You know you can sell anything in India, I mean anything, but you need to have a good understanding of the people and culture locally.
Such as?
The degree of corruption for starters. And most importantly the red tapism and monopoly card played by the ‘recognised’ sports authorities who dont want something like MMA to get in. That’s why I say that the UFC people need to talk to us before they get excited about India. It’s very different here, people are such that they will bow down to a stone idol and give a 10 million donation to the temple, yet they wouldn’t wanna support an orphanage because they think that someones eating the money. Very varied kind of people here great people nevertheless, but different. I love my India. (smiles)
And of course theres the God of all sports in India…Cricket !
And the God of our entertainment …..Bollywood. But there’s definately a way MMA can enter India, on a large scale.
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Photos Courtesy of Tigers Gym
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