𝘼𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙬𝙡 — June 10, 2026, marked a triumphant homecoming for 𝗡𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘇𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗮, who recently secured a highly coveted $100,000 contract with ONE Championship, alongside a $10,000 performance bonus. Shattering the misconception that Indians cannot compete at the highest levels of combat sports, Nazareth has firmly placed India on the global MMA map. His return flight was proudly sponsored by the Mizoram State Mixed Martial Arts Association (MISMA), and upon arrival, on the next day, he was formally felicitated by the Sports Minister in his chambers.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗠𝗔 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲
This milestone follows closely on the heels of another historic event. On May 29, 2026, Mizoram welcomed current 𝗨𝗙𝗖 𝗙𝗹𝘆𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗮 𝗩𝗮𝗻. Marking the first time a current UFC champion has ever visited India, Van trained with local fighters and served as a Special Guest at the Zonet MISMA Fight Night on May 30. Joining him from his hometown were other distinguished guests – Rome Thalop (CEO of Thalop Group), Dakota Hope (UFC Fighter & Trainer at 4oz Fight Club), Rohming Thalop (VP of Commercial and Home Lending) and Van Lian (Sushi Chef at SushiBoi).
The Fight Night, co-organized by Zonet and MISMA, made a record of fully packed attendance during a sporting event at the State’s biggest indoor stadium and drew an impressive roster of dignitaries, including the 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗶 𝗟𝗮𝗹𝗱𝘂𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮, other Ministers, and Members of the Legislative Assembly. The monumental effort to facilitate the UFC Champion and organize the historic fight night was spearheaded by the Sports Minister and the Mizoram State Sports Council, with crucial support from LESDE, Tourism Development, and various sponsors.
Mizoram, under the current ZPM government, has already been making waves as an emerging tourist hub, drawing national and global visitors—especially during the 2025 year-end festive season. Now, the state government’s proactive support for youth development and global trends like MMA is creating a 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺. The prospect of attending high-level fight nights in Mizoram is becoming a major draw for travelers.
At the forefront of this movement is 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗶 𝗟𝗮𝗹𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗮 𝗛𝗺𝗮𝗿, who is garnering widespread praise from the combat sports community across the country. His dedication to developing MMA—a sport that offers highly entertaining spectacles for fans and sustainable, professional career paths for athletes—has been instrumental in the region’s growth. Notably, his recent public statement on 10 June, 2026 expressing intent to see 𝗠𝗠𝗔 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 has made major headlines.
Moreover, the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the UFC and the US Government has secured a highly promising future for fighters. Coupled with UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2025—the first-ever sporting event held at the White House—these historic milestones have sparked a massive global surge in MMA’s popularity, significantly capturing the attention of the Indian audience as well.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗲: 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗠𝗔’𝘀 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻
Registered in 2013, MISMA was founded with a clear vision: to develop professional fighters who can build self-sustaining careers. Following the Olympic Council of Asia’s landmark recognition of MMA as a medal sport at the Asian Youth Games, the Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games, and the Asian Games, MISMA has intensified its efforts. The organization is now focused on building a robust amateur pipeline to launch professional careers, forge world champions, and bring home medals for India across the Asian Games circuit. The association’s roots in the sport run deep, having produced top talent since the days of the Super Fight League (SFL), with the SFL contenders for Northeast India famously held in Mizoram. In 2016, the state hosted the first major MMA event in Northeast India – JSJ Fight League, and acquired the region’s first MMA cage.
To fund its operations, MISMA relies on annual contributions from its executive members, alongside sponsors and key leaders like 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝘆 𝗟. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘂 and 𝗟𝘁. 𝗖𝗼𝗹. 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗹𝗵𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮. This support has allowed the association to consistently organize state championships and Fight Nights, while sending athletes to national competitions.
The results speak for themselves. MISMA’s amateur circuit has shaped elite fighters like PMS Dawngliana, a national champion who fought in BRAVE Combat Federation. More recently, stars like Zarmawia and Nazareth honed their skills at the MISMA-affiliated SPES Martial Arts Academy in Aizawl. Supported and sponsored by MISMA, both fighters became three-time national champions before turning pro and signing with ONE Championship.
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁
The revolution is not confined to the capital. MISMA has aggressively expanded its development into the southern region of the state, successfully organizing two major Fight Nights in Lunglei under the aegis of Lunglei District MMA Association and Elbruz gum headed by Lalrintluangi and Biaksangpuia. Today, the association boasts 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝘇𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗺, ensuring that raw talent from every corner of the state has a clear path to the big stage.
This statewide network is already producing spectacular results, including the rise of top-tier professional athletes- Lalnunsanga and Lalnunmawia training out of SPES gym, Aizawl and Lalramhlimpuii, a rising female star out of Elbruz Combat Academy in Lunglei, have emerged as one of the state’s most promising prospects. Alongside SPES and Elbruz, a powerhouse network of affiliated gyms—including Elite, PMS, CT, and Origin—continues to fuel Mizoram’s unstoppable production line of elite martial artists.
The current MISMA’s dedicated elected office bearers are:
• 𝗧. 𝗟𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗽𝘂𝗶𝗮, President (Veteran wrestler and national referee & judge)
• 𝗟𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗺𝗮, Treasurer (Entrepreneur and national referee & judge)
• 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗼𝘇𝗮𝗺𝗮, General Secretary (veteran fighter, International referee & judge, international certified coach, and national executive board member)
Mizoram now features three fully functional MMA cages, most notably the one at Lalremruata’s Elite MMA Gym, which hosts the state championship tournaments. Yet, MISMA’s greatest asset remains its devoted executive members and referee & judge panel. From executive members working through the night to assemble and dismantle cages, to a medical commission of three registered doctors attending athletes for free, to designers and printers donating their skills, and volunteers running around for necessary chores—the entire association is powered by a community freely giving their time for the love of the sport.
Today, MISMA operates as a recognized state affiliate of MMA India—the nation’s premier federation led by General Secretary 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲 and Asian MMA Federation’s Senior Vice President 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝗽𝘂. MMA India is affiliated with the International MMA Federation (IMMAF) which is supported by the UFC and BRAVE Combat Federation.