MMA India Exclusive: India’s 1st fighter to win in the UFC, Puja Tomar talks about what it means to be number one. Tomar grabbed the national limelight after she beat Rayanne dos Santos of Brazil in the UFC Fight Night event.
Puja talks about her reaction to the win and getting her name registered in the history books. She said, “That was an amazing feeling and i still get goosebumps thinking about that victory. It is something i’ll never forget for the rest of my life”
Puja Tomar: Striking vs BJJ
In an exclusive interview with MMA India, Puja Tomar talks about the fight against a BJJ black belt and how she changed her training to take on Rayanne dos Santos.
She revealed that her coach at SOMA, Coach Mike had anticipated that Santos (Puja’s opponent) will try to take the fight to the matt. So most of her training was to defend herself on the ground.
Role of MFN
When asked about the impact of MFN in developing the MMA landscape in India. She revealed that MFN boss Ayesha Shroff was one of the 1st persons to call her after her win.
She added that MFN has played a key role in developing the MMA landscape in India. And for Indian fighters MFN is singlehandedly responsible for their development and growth.
Experiencing a UFC Event in the US
She revealed that her sole focus was on winning the fight for India and she was unfazed by the glamour and crowd of the UFC.
Puja Tomar has seen a lot of success in the past years and is currently represented by IOS Sports & Entertainment.
Puja Tomar: From Wushu to UFC
The Cyclone Puja Tomar has had a long career in combat sports. She started as a Wushu athlete and later transitioned into MMA. She holds a Pro record of 9 wins and 4 losses.
Tomar briefly participated in ONE Championship before coming back to India. After that, she became a champion in the MFN where she did a successful title defense against Russia’s ANASTASIA FEOFANOVA.
Currently, she’s training for her next fight that is likely to happen by the end of 2024(opponent unconfirmed).
Read More: India’s 1st UFC Winner Puja Tomar Returns to India; Here is How Fans Welcomed Her Back