Puja Tomar Becomes First Indian to Win in UFC

Tags: Sports

Puja Tomar became the first Indian to win a bout in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), defeating Brazil’s Rayanne Amanda dos Santos via split decision at UFC Louisville on 8 june.

An Overview of the News

• Tomar beat dos Santos with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28.

• The bout lasted all three rounds, totaling 15 minutes of intense, fast-paced action.

• The judges awarded Tomar a split decision victory with scorecards reading 30-27, 27-30, and 29-28.

Puja Tomar:

• Puja Tomar was born on 25 November 1995 in Budhana village, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

• She is a five-time national wushu champion.

• Tomar has a background in karate and taekwondo, winning multiple medals in both disciplines.

• She is an Indian professional mixed martial artist competing in the Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

• Tomar became the third person from India and the first woman to get a UFC contract.

• Tomar has competed in Matrix Fight Night, winning the straw-weight title twice.

• Known as "Cyclone," the 30-year-old signed a contract with the UFC in October last year.

Other Indian Representatives:

• The other Indians who have represented the country in the UFC are Anshul Jubli and Bharat Kandare.

• Canada-based Arjan Singh Bhullar has also represented India on the world stage in the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC):

• It is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

• Ownership: Operated by TKO Group Holdings, a subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings.

• Size: Largest MMA promotion globally as of 2023.

• Events: Hosts worldwide events with 11 weight divisions (eight men’s, three women’s) following the Unified Rules of MMA.

• History: Over 600 events held by 2022.

• Leadership: Dana White has been president since 2001 and CEO since 2023, under whom UFC became a global multi-billion-dollar enterprise.

• Founders: Established by Art Davie and Rorion Gracie; first event in 1993 at McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado.