Have you ever been in a fight? I would like to think that most of you reading this have gotten into at least one nasty scrap in your lives. I know I have. And honestly, it was probably the most exhilarating thing that I have ever been a part of. Forget about your weekend drug binge in Goa or your brain-melting party in some farmhouse somewhere, the act of physical combat is like no other high in the world. Nothing comes even close. NOTHING!

Remember in ‘Fight Club', when Tyler Durden waxes poetic about the ‘virtues' of fighting? What was the quote again? Something about walking in like a wad of cookie dough and leaving like you're carved out of wood? Yeah that's the one. Well, the men and women fighting in the Super Fight League on the 20th of January had walked out of Fight Clubs all across the country long ago and are clamouring for blood at this point. They made their way to New Delhi to test their skills in the constricting confines of a cage; the prophetic battleground, so to speak.

Indian Mixed Martial Arts has come a long, long way. Back in 2006, in the musky and testosterone filled gyms in Mumbai and Delhi, there were already a ton of ‘smokers' or fights that were unofficial and unsanctioned. Guys walked in with egos that could crush a tank and left the mats, broken and bloodied, never to be seen again. Those were the wild days of Indian MMA. And boy, were they wild! Fast forward to 2016 and the Super Fight League is setting up shop in the heart of New Delhi. The venue is the famed Siri Fort Auditorium and there is an entire month's worth of fisticuffs for Delhiites to sink their teeth into.

Under new management and a new vision, the minds behind India's biggest Mixed Martial Arts promotion have revamped the show and signed on the country's most dangerous and skilled fighters. Divided into 8 teams, each representing a different state, these men and women will be pitted against each other in epic battles that will definitely change their lives. For better or worse.

On this cold Friday evening, the Delhi Heroes were up against the Haryana Sultans. Led by the infamous 9 second knockout internet sensation, Jason Solomon, the Delhi team were up against a stiff test. The fighters from Haryana looked to be ready for war and by god; it got hostile in the cage real quick.

The Haryana Captain was up first and he delivered in spades. Narender Grewal grew up kickboxing and practicing Wushu and eventually moved into MMA at the age of 20. He made his debut in 2012 and possesses a record of 6 wins and 1 loss. A rare blend of aggression and technique, Grewal pieced up his opponent with a slick uppercut and smashed him on the ground to give Haryana its first win.

The featherweights (65 Kgs) were up next and although it was a rather uneventful fight between Delhi's Jacky Gahlot and Haryana's Pawan Goyat, it set the stage for the women to walk in and take care of business. Daisy Singh and Sushila Dahiya put up a decent scrap but the technique shown was just not up to par. Both women gassed out in the second round and it led to an all-round tepid affair.

The following tussle pitted experienced veteran, Rajinder Singh Meena from Delhi taking on Farhad Hazratzada from Haryana by way of Afghanistan. It was a quick fight and it showed that if you're not someone who trains day in and day out to crush fools, then you're not cut out for MMA. Period! Farhad steamrolled Meena and essentially strangled him silly with a rear naked choke and forced the Delhiite to yield in under three minutes. As soon Farhad leapt for joy, I could see the agony and heartbreak in Meena's face. This was a man that couldn't believe he'd just lost. Frustration and anger poured out of his eyes and one could feel his pain, just for the briefest of seconds. This is the moment that everyone has had to face at least once. Knowing that there was nothing you could do to stop the inevitable.

Jason Solomon had been viciously knocked out back in 2015. An opponent change at the last minute forced him to alter his tactics and it just wasn't his night then. A brutal right hand by Amitesh Chaubey laid him out and had people wondering if Solomon would ever step into the cage again. Thankfully, it was a little different this time around. Matched up with a concussive striker in Amit Kumar from Haryana, Jason had to survive the storm of all storms when Kumar looked to repeat the KO that shocked the world. He had Solomon in all kinds of trouble as he cracked him with nasty rights and lefts but couldn't put away the Delhi native. Eventually, Solomon found his groove, landed two knees but was dropped yet again with a left hook. This time Kumar engaged him on the mat and found himself eating punches till he gave up his neck was choked out by Solomon. The crowd erupted as you could clearly see that the multitude of fans were there because of the brash Delhiite.

It was a redemptive performance from Solomon as he tries to put the viral video of him getting knocked out behind him. It wasn't easy but he got the job done.

The final fight of the night saw Canadian Matt Baker apply a slick triangle choke as he shifted off mount and made his opponent tap out in a minute. It was a quick fight that left the masses salivating for more.

Look, this isn't for everyone. It's tough, it's brutal and it's not for the faint of heart. Broken bones and bloody noses are just an occupational hazard and that's how it goes. From great pugilists like Muhammad Ali and Pernell Whittaker to the modern masters of Martial Arts such as Demetrious Johnson and Jon Jones, professional fighting showcases elite superhumans who also happen to be stone cold killers. Make no mistake, you're not going to punch out or smash a professional fighter, no matter how many bars you've bounced at. It's not going to happen. You're more likely to end up in the emergency ward. So look, enjoy these athletes from the safety of your couch because when you're watching two people trying to kill each other right in front of you, at some point, even you are gritting your teeth and calling out for blood. Don't believe me? Check out the Super Fight League in the Siri Fort Auditorium every weekend up until February. Don't say I didn't warn ya!

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All images ©BCCL/Samiksha Sharma