Over the last decade, the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has steadily transformed itself from a niche sport to a mainstream commodity. Spurred by the immense following of elite fighters like Connor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, MMA is now seen as a viable career opportunity. In India, Krishna Shroff is trailblazing the way for aspiring fighters with MMA Matrix, the mixed-martial gym in Mumbai that offers training in disciplines like Kickboxing, Muay Thai, boxing, and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Krishna, being a lifelong sports fan, convinced his brother and Bollywood star Tiger Shroff, and mother Ayesha Shroff, to join along for her passion project. Shroff is also the brain behind Matrix Fight Night, the UFC-style MMA event that has grown at an unprecedented rate in the last four years. Here’s an excerpt from an interview with Krishna Shroff.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind starting your mixed martial arts gym?

MMA Matrix was conceptualised as primarily a passion project. Both my brother and myself have been avid followers of the sport for close to two decades now. It’s a sport that’s given my brother a unique niche very early on in his career within an industry that’s very difficult to stand apart in, so for him, it also worked as a way to sort of give back. I believe it’s important for women in today’s world to practice MMA, as it instils a sense of security and awareness through self-defence and knowing you’re able to protect yourself. It also stands as a platform to instill discipline, and focus, and a way for the youth of our country to channel their energies positively. 

What do you think is the future of mixed martial arts, and how do you see your gym contributing to its growth and evolution? 

I believe the future is immense. It’s the fastest-growing sport in the world today. Since the inception of Matrix Fight Night, our fight promotion has showcased the best of our Indian athletes and some standout international talent as well. MMA has greatly taken off in our country with over 500 amateur fighters signing up to participate in a recent three-day tournament. Deserving fighters received an MFN contract to participate in the big show.

Can you explain the different disciplines and styles of martial arts that are offered at your gym? 

MMA Matrix offers a variety of disciplines including, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, boxing, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. What sets us apart from many other MMA gyms in the country is the fact that we have highly trained active professional fighters in charge of our group classes or personal training, depending on your preference. We have people of all different levels, from beginners to amateur and professional fighters who train at our facilities as well. It’s important to note that this style of training is not limited to certain people. Anyone can practice regardless of their age, gender, or fitness level. 

How would you describe the training philosophy at your gym? Is it more focused on self-defence, competition, or overall fitness? 

It’s definitely focused on overall fitness. Although our USP is MMA and the state-of-the-art MMA facilities we provide, we also have an entire weight training and cardio section along with some of the best trainers who specialise in weight training, CrossFit, HIIT, as well as rehab training for people with different fitness goals. Our gym provides a very private space and focused training depending on each individual’s specific needs and goals. 

What do you believe are the key benefits of practising mixed martial arts for individuals, both physically and mentally? 

As a sports lover, I truly believe MMA is the most challenging sport across the board, both physically and mentally. It takes a very special human being to do what these athletes can do, a lifetime of consistent discipline and hard work with many sacrifices along the way, as well as a completely different mindset in order to make it to the highest level of the sport. It’s a sport that requires great conviction, but also provides a lot of self-confidence because of the certain degree of skill and fitness it requires to be a Martial Artist. 

Could you share any success stories of students who have trained at your gym and achieved notable results, both in and out of the MMA arena? 

Tiger Shroff, to begin with. His results speak for themself. Abdul Azim Badakhshi, a highly skilled professional fighter from Afghanistan, has been ranked as the number one fighter in South Asia for the past 5 years in a row now and is currently the biggest prospect we have coming out of this side of the world. We have a young MMA fighter named (Baaghi) Mandeep Prajapati who comes from a small village in UP and has now built a massive fan following that calls themselves “Baaghi Nation.” Hundreds of them travel to any part of the country where he fights. Jojo Rajkumari is one of our female fighters who used to sell milk on the side of the road to feed her family. After finding success within Matrix Fight Night, she was honoured by the Chief Minister of her state of Manipur and was gifted a plot of land to build her home. Apart from this, a lot of fighters who have been signed to us have now gone on to launch their own MMA gyms as well. 

What opportunities does your gym provide for aspiring fighters who want to compete professionally? 

As mentioned above, we have many outlets attached the the Matrix name. Apart from providing a state-of-the-art facility inclusive of free training for each one of them, we’ve also launched our amateur show called MFN Contenders where fighters get the chance to win a contract to our main show, Matrix Fight Night. Each fighter signed to us eventually has the option to work at any one of our Matrix gym franchises pan India as either an MMA coach or a gym trainer after he or she retires from the sport, and is provided housing along with a comfortable salary. Another project we are currently working on to complete the Matrix ecosystem we’ve built is Matrix Fight Camp. This is a world-class training facility for both Indian and international professional MMA fighters, MMA enthusiasts, and even movie actors prepping for a particular role and is spread across 6 acres of land. It will provide world-class coaches from both India and abroad, accommodation, state-of-the-art training facilities, as well as the best nutritionists and chefs available for your specific goals. It is located in the middle of the most spectacular natural surroundings, all of which contribute to making this a one-of-a-kind fight camp. 

Could you share any insights on the business side of running an MMA gym, including the challenges you face and the strategies you employ to overcome them? 

All our gyms have a very distinctive aesthetic about them. The vibe it projects is more of a very cool personal studio space as opposed to a cold commercial gym, which certainly makes us stand out from the rest of the competition. We maintain very high standards of training as well as hygiene. The service is extremely personal and I do believe that sets us apart. The biggest validation of that is the fact that we have an almost 90% renewal rate amongst our clients. To be honest, our biggest challenge has been the cost of rent in Mumbai, so although our base here is the flagship gym, we’re the only branch that is still just breaking even, even though all our franchises are comfortably in the black. However, to overcome this, we have partnered up with a team that shares the same vision as us and will shortly be opening a larger gym space at a prime commercial location in Mumbai. 

How do you stay up-to-date with the latest developments and techniques in mixed martial arts, and how do you incorporate them into your gym’s training programs? 

As mentioned earlier, our MMA trainers are active professional fighters themselves, who regularly travel abroad for their own fight camps; therefore, constantly bringing back new knowledge to share, which is inclusive of all the new training and nutrition techniques they pick up on. Besides that, we also bring in coaches from different expertise in various forms of Mixed Martial Arts from all over the world from time to time. 

Tell us more about Matrix Fight Night. How’s it shaping up? What are the plans? 

Matrix Fight Night began as a passion project and continues to be one, while all the while witnessing an upward trajectory that has been unmatched not just between promotions in India, but worldwide. From having a live audience of around 1,000 guests (by invite only) at our first show, to having 10,000 screaming fans at our last event, it’s been an extremely gratifying feeling to say the least. And now, to be counted amongst the top MMA promotions globally in just a span of 4 years and 13 shows later, is indeed encouraging.