Is Indonesia In A MMA Crisis Now?

Two fights. Two first-round finishes. Two brutal reminders that hype means nothing once the cage door closes.

That’s the takeaway from Road to UFC, where Indonesian fighters Rio Tirto and Deni Daffa — handpicked to represent the nation — crumbled on Asia’s biggest MMA stage. Both were sold as rising stars. Instead, they got outclassed, outgunned, and sent home early.

And fans are asking the hard question:
Is Indonesian MMA in a crisis?

Rio Tirto came in undefeated, with a confident look and a lot of noise behind him. But it took just 1 minute and 26 seconds for Aaron Tau — a seasoned New Zealander from City Kickboxing — to silence all of it. Tau tagged Tirto on the feet, took him down, took his back, and unleashed a barrage of strikes until the referee stepped in. It was surgical, violent, and efficient.

After the loss, Tirto complained about shots to the back of the head. But replays showed he was simply not ready for that level. This was a case of a local favorite walking into a buzzsaw.

Then came Deni Daffa, who was touted as a lanky, dangerous lightweight. His opponent, Ren Yawei from China, had other plans. Yawei ate Daffa’s reach advantage for breakfast, cracked him with a clean right hand, and when Daffa tried to wrestle, Yawei locked in a mounted ninja choke and put him to sleep. It wasn’t even a fair fight.

Both Indonesian fighters lost in Round 1. Both were finished, not just outpointed. That’s not just a loss — that’s a warning.

The question now isn’t just why they lost — but why they were there in the first place.

These weren’t the best fighters Indonesia had to offer. They were the ones who got the call. According to sources inside the scene, the UFC doesn’t have a real scouting presence in Indonesia. When it came time to pick fighters for Road to UFC, they simply reached out to One Pride MMA, the biggest local promotion, which picked Rio Tirto and Deni Daffa.

Rumors in the community suggest this choice was more about convenience and connections than merit. The UFC’s contact in Indonesia appears to be limited to One Pride’s CEO Fransino Tirta, leaving many to question whether nepotism or unclear reasons influenced these selections.

The response from fans and experts on social media was brutal. Everyone agreed: these fighters were nowhere near ready for the UFC’s level of competition.

The performances exposed how thin Indonesia’s current talent pool really is. While countries like China and New Zealand have clear developmental pathways and deep rosters, Indonesian MMA feels stuck, sending fighters out before they’re prepared.

Currently, the only Indonesian fighter active in the UFC is Jeka Saragih, and in ONE Championship, it’s Eko Roni Saputra. Both are veterans nearing the end of their prime.

The promising name many point to is Bilal Hassan, but he was born and raised in the U.S., which means he grew up with a different culture, mindset, and access to better training environments than local fighters. His success shows how far Indonesia still has to go in building a truly homegrown MMA scene.

If Indonesian MMA wants to avoid a long crisis, it’s clear that One Pride and other local organizations need to rethink their approach. That means better managing training programs, providing more funding to gyms, and, most importantly, creating a developmental league or brand where fighters can gain real experience and sharpen their skills before stepping on the international stage.

Sending unprepared fighters into big leagues only risks setting them—and Indonesian MMA’s reputation—back.

For fans, fighters, and supporters of Indonesian MMA, this is the moment to demand better. Follow One Pride and local gyms closely. Support athletes who put in the work. And keep the conversation going—because real change starts with awareness and action.

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