Shocking: Indian MMA fighter assaulted by Afghan fighter, his fans

In a bizarre turn of events, an Afghan MMA fighter and his fans attacked an Indian MMA fighter Srikant Sekhar, leaving him with a broken jaw and other injuries.

The Delhi Police has registered a case under section 325/34 of the IPC following the complaint of Indian MMA fighter Srikant Sekhar, who was allegedly assaulted by Afghanistan fighter Abdul Azim Badakshi and the Afghan fans in a post-fight brawl in New Delhi on Friday, according to a Sportstar report. 

The Indian fighter was left with a broken jaw during the incident which took place after the conclusion of the MFN (Matrix Fight Night) promotion, the report added.

Srikant mentioned in his police statement that he fought Sumit Khare in the MNF, who beat him, after which he underwent a medical check-up and was given a green signal by the doctor.

Sekhar returned to support his fellow fighter Seth Rosario, who was up against Zahoor Shah, another mixed martial arts fighter from Afghanistan. Srikant stated that the Afghan fans who were in attendance at the event caused problems after the fight between Seth Rosario and Zahoor Shah and posed threat to fighters and officials at the venue. 

He was first hit by a rolled-up paper by the Zahoor Shah’s supporters as he was supporting Rosario. The MNF officials sensed the situation escalating and asked Srikant to leave the venue.

As Srikant was walking past the stage, he said he saw Abdul Azim Badakshi standing next to Ayesha and Krishna Shroff. As soon as Srikant passed the stage, he claims that Badakshi punched him twice in the face and as he fell to the ground, he was attacked by the Afghani fans.

Srikant states that the majority of MFN officials were busy protecting celebrities at the venue, forcing him and his coach to flee the stadium as they were chased by Afghan fans carrying rods and bricks. They eventually reached a PCR van and were taken by his friends to the hospital.

Srikant Shekhar had to undergo surgeries to fix his broken jaw. “It was broken pretty badly. They had to put metal plates and screws in my mouth,” he said. 

Srikant says he had no previous enmity with Badakshi. “I had met him in the morning of the fight as well. We even shook hands. I’m guessing the crowd was probably provoking him in their language,”

As of now, the Indian MMA fighter will be out of action for a long long time. “I will be out of action for at least a year-and-a-half or two years. What’s going to be my source of income? I have to go to rehab. I got beaten up, I lost money. This is the most extreme thing that’s happened. I don’t have anything against the Afghan people but on that day the audience was miserable,” he added.

MNF is owned by Ayesha Shroff, wife of actor Jackie Shroff. In a statement, she said the promotion would not have any Afghan fighters on their cards in the future. 

Here is a video of the incident that took place during the MNF.

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