Puja Tomar, 28, made history by becoming the first Indian to win an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bout at UFC Louisville 2024 on Sunday. Tomar defeated Rayanne Amanda dos Santos by split decision, 30-27, 27-30, 29-28.
“This victory is not my victory. This victory is for all Indian fans and all Indian fighters. Earlier everyone thought Indian fighters don't stand anywhere. I just thought I would win and show the world that Indian fighters are not losers,” Tomar said in the video.
“Walking out with an Indian song and an Indian flag gave me goosebumps and a feeling of pride,” she said.
Watch the viral video here:
In another video, Tomar can be seen in tears as he is announced as the winner.
Check it out here:
Who is Pooja Tomar?
Tomar, who hails from Budhana village in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, became the first Indian female fighter to sign a contract with UFC last year. A former national martial arts champion, Tomar has also competed in other championships including Matrix Fight Night and One Championship.
After four straight losses, she left One Championship and joined Matrix Fight Night in 2021. She won four bouts at MFN, last defending her title against Russia's Anastasia Feofanova in July.
According to reports, she is training at Soma Fight Club in Bali, Indonesia, where Anshul Jubli trained for his UFC bout. Pooja Tomar, popularly known as “Cyclone”, is said to be one of the best female fighters in Indian mixed martial arts.
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First uploaded: September 6, 2024 9:47 AM
