Remember Ankit Baiyapuriya, the 75-year-old challenger? The same Ankit who became so famous for sharing videos on social media saying “Ram Ram Bhai Sare Ne” that Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited him for a meeting. He also participated in the “Swachhata Hi Seva” campaign with the PM. Now, Ankit has moved beyond the social media world and entered combat sports. However, he lost badly in his very first bout.
He was defeated by UFC star Arman Tsarukyan in three minutes in a Hype Fighting Championship submission-only grappling bout held in Armenia on August 1st. Armenian Arman entered the bout with five consecutive wins in the UFC, while Ankit was a complete rookie. This difference was clearly evident in the bout. Arman, one of the world’s best grapplers, easily defeated Ankit with a leg choke submission. Ankit appeared to be nowhere near him.
What is this game?
Hype Fighting Championship is a combat sports and mixed martial arts promotion organization. It organizes fighting events internationally. Hype Fighting also features MMA, grappling, and bare knuckles. Under its banner, Ankit and Armaan competed in a submission-only grappling match. Unlike MMA, punches, kicks, elbows, and knees are not permitted.
A victory is awarded when the opponent is submitted via a legal choke or joint lock. If neither fighter achieves a submission within the allotted time, the bout may be declared a draw or go to overtime, depending on the event’s rules. This format emphasizes exchanges, positional control, and submission skills, similar to wrestling, rather than knockout power.
Ankit was already aware of his defeat.
Even before his in-ring debut, Ankit knew he would lose, but he insisted he would come back better prepared. In an interview before his bout against Armaan, he said, “This may be my first fight, but it certainly won’t be my last. After this, I want to move forward in combat sports with even better preparation.”