“Puja Tomar, the first Indian MMA queen to conquer the UFC arena, punches her way into history, proudly representing the spirit of a billion hearts in the octagon!”
Puja Tomar, the 27-year-old MMA sensation from India, has recently signed a groundbreaking contract with the UFC, becoming the first female fighter from the country to achieve this feat. Set to make her debut in February-March next year, Puja expresses her pride in realizing the dream shared by every aspiring MMA fighter.
Training at the renowned Soma Fight Club in Bali, Indonesia, the same facility used by Anshul Jubli for his UFC preparations, Puja considers it her “home.” Speaking about her journey, she highlights her success as the strawweight champion at Matrix Fight Night (MFN), where she last defended her title against Russia’s Anastasia Feofanova in July. Puja, a five-time national wushu champion, initially ventured into MMA through Super Fight League (SFN) and later joined ONE Championship, South Asia’s premier MMA promotion, although her stint there was marked by four losses in five fights.
Looking ahead, Puja acknowledges the challenges posed by the highly competitive UFC roster, including the formidable Zhang Weili, the current UFC women’s strawweight champion. Sharing a similar wushu background with Zhang, Puja expresses her admiration for the world champion and reveals her long-standing dream of stepping into the octagon against her idol.
While Puja recognizes the significance of landing a UFC contract, she emphasizes that hard work is the key to gaining recognition in the sport. Ritu Phogat, also an accomplished MMA fighter, played a pivotal role in informing Puja about the UFC contract, a moment Puja describes as surreal.
Reflecting on her journey, Puja expresses gratitude to MFN for shaping her career. She acknowledges the promotion for not only developing her skills but also assisting other fighters in training outside India, declaring MFN as the premier MMA platform in the country. As Puja gears up for her UFC debut, she remains focused on delivering her best and embracing the challenges that lie ahead in the octagon.