Rabindra Dhant (Nepali: रविन्द्र ढाँट; born 30 November 1998), is a Nepali professional mixed martial artist. He became the first Nepali to win a title in the Matrix Fight Night (MFN) promotion after defeating Indian fighter Chungreng Koren at MFN 17 in August 2025. Dhant currently competes in the bantamweight division and is known for his striking ability and background in karate and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.[1][2][3]
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. He later moved to New Delhi, where he held jobs in small offices, primarily performing cleaning and tea-serving duties.[4]
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.[5]
On August 2, 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.[6][7][8]
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 “The Tiger of Bajhang.[9][10][11]
| 10 matches | 9 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 7 | 0 |
| By submission | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 9–1 | Chungreng Koren | KO (punches) | Matrix Fight Night 17 | 2 August 2025 | 3 | 0:54 | Greater Noida, India | Won the MFN Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 8–1 | Eqiyuebu | TKO (punches) | Brave CF 93 | 18 April 2025 | 1 | 2:56 | Zhengzhou, China | |
| Win | 7–1 | Korey Sutcliffe | Decision (unanimous) | Nepal Warriors: Fight Night 3 | 25 May 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Kathmandu, Nepal | |
| Loss | 6–1 | Ismail Khan | Decision (unanimous) | ONE Friday Fights 45 | 15 December 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| Win | 6–0 | Torepchi Dongak | TKO (punches) | ONE Friday Fights 33 | 15 September 2023 | 3 | 1:55 | Bangkok, Thailand | Return to Bantamweight. |
| Win | 5–0 | Jason Lyngdoh | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Nepal Warriors: Fight Night 1 | 16 June 2023 | 1 | 1:23 | Kathmandu, Nepal | |
| Win | 3–0 | Ravi Saw | TKO (punches) | Goa Alpha Events: Goa Combat 2022 | 20 October 2022 | 2 | 3:24 | Taleigão, India | Featherweight debut. |
| Win | 2–0 | Rohit Pundeer | TKO (punches) | Ultimate Fighting League 3 | 15 December 2019 | 1 | 4:00 | Rampur Bushahr, India | Flyweight debut. |
| Win | 1–0 | Padeep Singh | TKO | Hosharafu FC 32 | 5 May 2019 | 2 | 1:04 | New Delhi, India | Bantamweight debut. |
