Rabindra Dhant

Rabindra Dhant (born 30 November 1998) is a Nepalese professional mixed martial artist. He became the first Nepali to win a title in a professional MMA promotion after claiming the Matrix Fight Night (MFN) bantamweight championship by defeating Chungreng Koren at MFN 17 in August 2025. He subsequently made history again in 2026, becoming the first Nepalese fighter to advance in Road to UFC by defeating Kimbert Alintozon in the quarterfinals of Season 5. In the semifinals, Dhant faced New Zealand's Kasib Murdoch and defeated him via split decision, advancing to the tournament final.

Dhant currently competes in the bantamweight division and is known for his striking ability and background in karate and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Early life and background Dhant was born in Bitthadchir Rural Municipality of Bajhang District in far-western Nepal. He completed his schooling up to Grade 10 at a local school in his village. At the age of 16, he migrated to Pithoragarh, India, in search of employment and worked there as a manual laborer. In an interview on On Air, he stated that his "back bones had come out" due to excessive manual labour, earning about $1.6 for 8 hours of work per day. He later moved to New Delhi, where he held jobs in small offices, primarily performing cleaning and tea-serving duties.

While in Delhi, Dhant began training in karate, attending sessions early in the morning before work. Encouraged by a local coach, he eventually transitioned to mixed martial arts, despite initially having limited exposure to the sport.

MFN 17 and title achievement On 2 August 2025, Dhant competed at MFN 17 held in Greater Noida, India. He faced Chungreng Koren, an Indian fighter known as The Indian Rhino, who held a record of 7–1. Dhant entered the bout with an 8–1 record and secured a victory in the third round via knockout. With this win, he became the first Nepali athlete to claim a championship title in the MFN promotion.

Recognition and impact Following his MFN title win, Dhant received widespread recognition from the Nepali public, media outlets, and political leaders. Despite beginning his career without institutional support, his victory has been hailed as a milestone for combat sports in Nepal. Due to his origin and aggressive fighting style, he is often referred to as Bajhang ko Bagh (The Tiger of Bajhang).

Dhant made his Road to UFC debut in Season 5 at the Galaxy Arena in Macau. He was originally scheduled to face Matty Iann on 28 May 2026, during Episode 1 of the tournament. However, Iann withdrew due to a knee injury and was replaced by Kimbert Alintozon. Dhant won the bout via technical knockout (TKO) in the second round, securing his advancement to semi-finals in the tournament. In the semifinals, Dhant faced New Zealand's Kasib Murdoch and defeated him by split decision, advancing to the tournament final.

Mixed martial arts record Win

Kasib Murdoch Decision (split) Road to UFC Season 5: Semifinals

Shanghai, China Win

Kimbert Alintozon TKO (punches) Road to UFC Season 5: Opening Round – Day 1

Macau SAR, China Win

Chungreng Koren KO (punches) Matrix Fight Night 17

Greater Noida, India Win

Eqiyuebu TKO (punches) Brave CF 93

Zhengzhou, China Win

Korey Sutcliffe Decision (unanimous) Nepal Warriors: Fight Night 3

Kathmandu, Nepal Loss

Ismail Khan Decision (unanimous) ONE Friday Fights 45

Bangkok, Thailand Win

Torepchi Dongak TKO (punches) ONE Friday Fights 33

Bangkok, Thailand Win

Jason Lyngdoh Submission (rear-naked choke) Nepal Warriors: Fight Night 1

Kathmandu, Nepal Win

Ravi Saw TKO (punches) Goa Alpha Events: Goa Combat 2022

Taleigão, India Win

Krishna Payasi TKO (punches) Fight of Knights 2022

Nimach, India Win

Rohit Pundeer TKO (punches) Ultimate Fighting League 3

Rampur Bushahr, India Win

Padeep Singh TKO Hosharafu FC 32

New Delhi, India