This past weekend, we witnessed arguably the biggest event in Indian MMA, with Matrix Fight Night 2 going down in New Delhi. In the highly anticipated main event, Srikant Sekhar once again stopped his opponent in the first round, when he made “Delhi Don” Jason Solomon tap out.

It was a night of surprises, with a host of exciting fights. Here are five things we learnt from Matrix Fight Night 2.

1.Srikant Sekhar is India’s Undisputed Number One

For a while now, “Captain Crazy” has been calling himself the best fighter in the country. Srikant’s rise to fame has been extremely impressive, and has caught many by surprise. After a relatively underwhelming beginning to his professional MMA career, Srikant went back to the amateurs, and reinvented himself. After winning national tournaments in jiu jitsu, boxing and kickboxing, Sekhar decided to return to the professional circuit, and his hard work and dedication have resulted in him capturing the imagination of Indian MMA fans.

It doesn’t come as a surprise either. Srikant trains almost everyday in one of the best MMA gyms in the country. While ICSA in Bengaluru is well known for its jiu jitsu practitioners, Srikant is easily the most well-rounded Indian fighter, and has now laid claim to the title of the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the country.

2. Quality of the Indian Fighters

There was a time when you could’ve made the case for Indian fighters not being ready to compete internationally. However, over the last year in particular, there has been an increase in the quality of the fighters. While Matrix Fight Night has provided a platform for fighters to truly showcase their talent, one cannot deny the fact that the groundwork has been laid for fighters to truly thrive on the global stage. Working at grass-root level, as well as investing and revamping the amateur circuit can be considered as the game changers.

3. Strong Foundations

As previously touched upon, this shift in fighters’ fortunes can be attributed to an increased focus at the amateur level. The MMA fighters in India now compete in multiple amateur tournaments throughout the year, with MMA gyms focusing on improving fighters in every department. No longer are the fighters focusing on a single aspect.

The prime example was Anshul defeating a seasoned veteran in Sanjeet in his debut fight. Anshul has competed extensively at the amateur level, and is regarded as one of the best BJJ practitioners in the country. The fact that he dominated the fight, and took the fight to decision highlights how comfortable the fighters with amateur background are in imposing their game plan on their opponents.

4. Matrix Fight Night Setting Precedence

While Matrix Fight Night 1 was arguably the best Indian MMA event, Matrix Fight Night 2 out-did the first show. From the quality of the fights, to amateurs being given a global platform, the promotion has set precedence for the future.

Furthermore, we also witnessed the first ever female showdown in MFN history this past weekend. Given the fact that the matchmaking in MFN is undeniably better than in any other promotion that held shows in India, Matrix Fight Night has made all the right noises.

5. Dawn of a New Era

With amateur fighters showing their class, and pro fighters bringing their A-game, it is the dawn of a new era in Indian MMA. Matrix Fight Night 2 had everything: controversy, highlight reel KOs, persistent match ups that went to decisions and an exciting main event that has cemented Srikant’s status as India’s best MMA fighter.

The future of Indian MMA has never been better or brighter, and with Matrix Fight Night 3 set to happen in the near future, we can expect more of such landmark moments in Indian MMA.