Indian mixed martial arts veteran Sangram Singh scored a stoppage win over Frenchman Florian Coudier on April 9 at Tigre Sports Club Stadium in Buenos Aires. The fight lasted just 1 minute and 45 seconds. This result wrote the 40-year-old fighter’s name into history as the first representative of India to win an MMA bout on Argentine soil.
Three continents, three wins, and no losses
The success in Buenos Aires capped Singh’s impressive international run. Before Argentina, he had won in Tbilisi and Amsterdam, and all three bouts were marked by a fast, confident finish. For the 40-year-old athlete, each of these fights serves as a rebuttal to those who believe the late stage of a career is when performance declines. A winning streak across three continents says otherwise.
An opponent they knew almost nothing about
Preparation for the fight was complicated by an unforeseen circumstance. Three weeks before stepping into the cage, the original opponent withdrew due to injury. He was replaced by Coudier, about whom Singh’s team had very little information. According to the fighter himself, they had to rework the game plan with almost no information to go on:
- The coaching staff had no read on the new opponent’s style, strengths, or weaknesses.
- Preparation came down to relying on instinct and the ability to adapt as the fight unfolded.
- The change of opponent, as Singh admitted, “changes everything.”
Such changes affected the bookmakers’ forecasts as well—the odds were against Singh. We cross-checked this across several industry sources. In doing so, we reviewed not only Indian sites but also foreign counterparts from Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. We also got more info here, on a site about no-deposit bonuses in online casinos. Many of these brands offer not only a variety of gambling games, but also full sportsbook functionality. That was our main focus. As we were able to find out, Singh’s quick win came as a real surprise to everyone, partly because of his opponent’s age.
How the fight unfolded in Buenos Aires
From the opening seconds, Coudier tried to seize the initiative. The young Frenchman relied on speed and kicks: one kick landed to the Indian fighter’s ribs, another targeted the knees. Singh later noted that his opponent didn’t have especially heavy hands, but his kicks were a real threat.
The turning point came when the veteran, in his own words, “read” the Frenchman’s game. Having figured out Coudier’s approach, Singh shifted to control using his wrestling arsenal. Years of experience in freestyle wrestling allowed him to neutralize the opponent’s striking and quickly finish the fight. The stopwatch showed 1:45.
“MMA isn’t for kids either”
A separate highlight in the story of the fight was the episode at the staredown. Before the bout, Coudier said that MMA was “not a sport for veterans,” taking a shot at the Indian opponent’s age. Singh chose not to respond publicly. The cage did the talking. After the win, he offered a single retort to the Frenchman: “Maybe it’s not a sport for veterans—but it’s not for kids either.”
Carrying the weight of an entire country
For Singh, every away fight carries a burden that goes far beyond a personal result. In his words, a fighter representing India abroad takes not only his gloves, but his country and his culture with him. “When you represent it well, it benefits everyone,” he noted, speaking about the pressure and responsibility of international appearances.
A wrestling base and vegetarian discipline
At the core of Singh’s longevity is a serious foundation. A former Commonwealth heavyweight wrestling champion, he views his years on the wrestling mat as his main weapon in the cage. The regimen that allows him to compete with fighters ten or more years younger is built on several principles:
- A strict vegetarian diet, simple food, two meals a day.
- Daily practice of yoga, pranayama, and Surya Namaskar.
- No indulgences even while traveling: during the flight to Argentina, Singh did push-ups and breathing exercises right on board.
“If you stay consistent with your practice, age may not matter. Consistency is everything,” he concluded.
What the win means for Indian MMA
The first win by an Indian at an MMA event in Argentina and the ongoing international win streak strengthen Singh’s status as one of the most successful Indian veteran mixed martial artists on the overseas stage.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, and Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and is also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer. He’s also the main photographer for the 4CornersMafia Car Club.
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