The 28-year-old MMA fighter has been an advocate for women in sports.

The MMA contest between Puja Tomar of India and Rayanne Amanda dos Santos of Brazil at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on Sunday morning was all about jabs, crosses and kicks. Tomar made history, becoming the first Indian to win a UFC match.

Fans tuned in to see Tomar, who has earned herself the title of “Cyclone”, compete in her debut UFC match at 2.30am India time.

While it did seem like the 28-year-old from Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, was being cornered, her adrenaline got the better of her as she went into the last round screaming, “Come on, come on!” and throwing kicks at her opponent. The nerve-wracking three rounds and 15 minutes ended in a split-decision win for Tomar. The scorecard: 30-27, 27-30, 29-28.

My Kolkata lists a few milestones in Cyclone Tomar’s path to the UFC win:

National Wushu Champion

Puja began her combat sports career with wushu, where she excelled and won five national titles. Her success in wushu provided a strong foundation in striking and agility — skills she now uses in her MMA career.

Transition to MM

In 2012, Puja switched to mixed martial arts, debuting with the now-defunct Super Fight League (SFL) in India. She made an impactful start, securing a victory in her first fight, which marked the beginning of her successful career in MMA. She participated in other championships, including Matrix Fight Night and ONE Championship.

Matrix Fight Night Success

After facing four consecutive losses in ONE Championship, Puja joined Matrix Fight Night (MFN) in 2021. She won four bouts in MFN, including a title defence against Russia’s Anastasia Feofanova in July. Her resilience and performance in MFN revitalised her career.

First Indian Woman in UFC

In 2023, Puja became the first Indian woman to land a contract with UFC, the biggest MMA promotion in the world. Her win makes her the first Indian to win a UFC fight, marking a significant achievement for Indian MMA.

Advocate for women in sports

Beyond her achievements in the octagon, Tomar is a vocal advocate for women in sports. She uses her platform to inspire and encourage young girls in India to pursue their dreams in martial arts. She also takes a stand for Indians in martial arts. “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. We’ll become UFC Champion soon,” she had said in the Octagon interview.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)