Puja Tomar wins first UFC fight

Puja Tomar wins UFC fight. Photo Courtesy: Jonathan Selvaraj X page video grab

Indian athlete Puja Tomar has made history after she became the first fighter from the country to win a clash in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

She defeated Brazil’s Rayanne dos Santos at UFC Louisville 2024 to write her name in the sporting history of the country.

Puja, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, became the first Indian woman to secure a UFC contract.

Marking her debut in the women’s strawweight division, she clinched the match with a split decision of 30-27, 27-30, 29-28.

Despite dominating the first round, Puja faced resistance and strong punches from her opposition in the following sets. However, she managed a victory at the end.

An evenly fought final round of the tournament saw the Indian athlete winning the tense flight with a push kick knockdown.

Following the win, she said: “I want to show the world that Indian fighters are not losers. We are going all the way up! We are not going to stop!”