Laki Sangno, a promising Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athlete from Arunachal Pradesh, made the nation proud by clinching a gold medal at the prestigious Bali Open Submission Championship. The event was organized by the Bali Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) Federation and drew elite grapplers from across the globe
Laki Sangno, a native of Weshi village in the East Kameng district, competed in the adult No-Gi division and used a rear-naked choke to defeat Yermie of the United Kingdom in the final match. After defeating Jamaican fighter George G in the opening round, Sangno defeated native Indonesian fighter Dlan in the second round to go up against UK fighter Yermie for the title. The international coaches and spectators cheered Sangno as he won the 6-minute fight in extra time. The championship, which is hosted by the Bali BJJ Federation, is renowned for its “submission-only” format, which does away with point scoring and concentrates only on finishes, making each match a true test of grappling stamina and skill. Top athletes from all over the world competed in the event, competing in both Gi and No-Gi divisions for a variety of age groups.
Laki Sangno’s gold medal is evidence of both his commitment and self-control as well as the new talent emerging from northeastern India, especially from Arunachal Pradesh. His accomplishments represent a major turning point in his martial arts career and garner much-needed attention for the expanding BJJ and MMA scenes in the are
