Exclusive: K1L Press Conference Recap & Highlights

The setting is PVR- a cinema hall within a multiplex complex. And on this particular day, it's not the screen that draws your attention. The official press conference is underway, two nights before the Kumite 1 League kicks off with its very first historic fight night. Two very proud nations will battle it out and showcase their warrior spirit on 29 September!

India takes on the UAE in a revolutionary new format that pits countries against one another on the very first night of the Kumite 1 League. The action will be streamed live on SONY SIX and SONY SIX HD for those who cannot make it to the Dome @ NSCI. And as my previous interaction with Mr. Budhwani indicated, this is only a glimpse of the plans to follow.

As the fighters introduce themselves, some heated words are exchanged between Kantharaj Agasa and Amer Mohd. The trash talking begins as both men claim that they will knock the other out. Despite the language barrier (a translator is involved), the audience in attendance is hooked as barbs are exchanged. The rest of the press conference is civil and the mutual respect between the teams is evident.

I ask what Mike Tyson's involvement in the league (he is the brand ambassador and mentor for the K1L fighters) means to the participants. Mohd. Farhad from Team India responds:

We're big fans. We've grown up watching him. Everybody from the current generation to the previous generation loves Mike Tyson. In Hindi- 'Bhai ke fights dekhkar bade hue hai. Aur ab bhai humari fight dekhne aa rahe hai. Bohot badi baat hai humare liye'. (We've grown up watching our brother in action, and now he's coming to watch us perform. It is a very big deal).

Both teams strike a pose

One of the most anticipated fights of the opening night features the two female fighters, Priyanka Jeet Toshi and Fatemeh Moslemi. Toshi seems confident heading into the clash of nations:

I face only one challenge. There's never a female to train with me. I'm always sparring with big guys. But I see it as an advantage really. Because I train with guys, I'm always prepared for the girls.

Her opponent, Fatemeh Moslemi, has been breaking gender stereotypes in a conservative country like Iran. She will be fighting in the hijab and when she's asked her thoughts on the fight, she replies with no hesitation:

About the hijab, it's a personal thing. It's very hard to train and fight with the hijaab on. But we follow the government's laws at all time.

Team UAE is asked if fighting on Indian soil with a crowd that is bound to be pro-India will be difficult. The fighters do not seem concerned and Haydar Hassan assures us that the crowd will be cheering for both teams when the night is done. He also has an interesting take on Mike Tyson's involvement with the league:

I consider myself to be the heir of Mike Tyson. I'm sure that when I go out there, he's going to be like - 'Damn, you're the heir of Mike Tyson!'

Team India strikes a pose

There is an air of anticipation in the air. As fight night draws closer, both teams seem anxious to prove their mettle on the Kumite 1 League stage and bring glory to their respective nations. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda Wrestling for our intensive coverage of the event, including exclusive interviews, press conference details and more.

Is this the dawn of a brand new age of Indian MMA? Only time will tell.

Photographs By Tabish Khidir