Puja Tomar, a 30-year-old mixed martial artist, became the first Indian to win a bout in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She won a split decision over Brazil's Rayanne dos Santos in the straw-weight category at UFC Louisville. She also became the first Indian woman to land a contract with UFC in 2023 which is the biggest Mixed Martial Arts promotion globally.
Indian fighter Puja won a 15-minute fight against Rayanne, showcasing her talent and determination on the global stage, despite Rayanne dominating the fight due to her height advantage but Puja went screaming to the final bell where judges scored the fight 30-27, 27-30, and 29-28. After the match, Puja mentioned, "I want to show that Indian fighters are not losers. We are going all the way up! We are not going to stop! We'll become a UFC champion soon! This win is not my win, it's for all Indian fans and all Indian fighters. I walked out to my Indian song with the Indian flag, and I felt so proud. I had goosebumps. Inside, there was no pressure, I just thought, I have to win. I took two or three punches, but I'm OK. I'm going to improve myself and I'm going all the way up."
Puja Tomar, born in 1993 in Budhana, Uttar Pradesh, India, lost her parents at a young age. Despite hardships, she pursued Wushu as a self-expression and won numerous medals, including representing India in the World Wushu Championship 2015.
Current Issue
Most Viewed
- 1 Women's Health Startup HerMD Closing Doors Amid Industry Challenges
- 2 5 Famous Women in Indian Armed Forces
- 3 Saudi Women No longer Require Male Permission for Clothing Choices, says Prince MbS
- 4 Kolkata Medtech Startup Innovodigm Raises Rs 5.5 Crore Seed Funding Led by IAN Group
- 5 Yamunanagar's Kashish Kalra Honoured after Securing 111th Rank in UPSC Civil Services Exam
- 6 Madurai Appoints Its First Woman Corporation Head
- 7 IAS Vijayalakshmi Bidari Appointed as the new Nagpur Divisional Commissioner
- 8 American Entrepreneur Lucy Guo Overtakes T Swift to become Youngest Female Billionaire
- 9 ICC Women's World Cup 2025 Trophy Showcased at Indore's Holkar Stadium
- 10 Aparna Saxena's Beauty Venture AntiNorm Launches in India
- 11 Vidya Nataraj Co-Founded BlueStone Jewellery & Lifestyle files IPO
- 12 5 Women Freedom Fighters of India
- 13 Dr. G Krishnapriya appointed as CEO for Trichy
- 14 M3M & Sirona Partner to Introduce Menstrual Hygiene Vending Machines in 15 Locations
- 15 Punjab Govt launches SHE Cohort 3.0 Supporting Tech-led Women Startups
- 16 Indian origin Lawyer, Sweena Pannu appointed as the US New Superior Court Judge
- 17 The Aurora Tech Award recognizes 4 Indian Women-led Startups
- 18 Kerala's Republic Day parade featured an all-female tableau
- 19 Manisha Kabbur Becomes Karnataka's First Woman International Karate Coach
- 20 Director K. S. Ravikumar's Daughter Maalica Ravikumar Launches Life Coaching Company 'Evergrowth Academy' for Women
- 21 Leezu's Raises Pre-Seed Funding to Accelerate Growth in Sexual Wellness Industry
- 22 Sattu: Super-easy summer drink for PCOS gut healing
- 23 Swathi Nelabhatla creates Sitha App, India's First Women-Exclusive Gig Platform
- 24 7 Timeless Female Kathak Dancers & their Iconic Legacies
- 25 Meet 7 Iconic Women Architects of Modern India & their Most Impactful Work
- 26 This Woman-led Insuretech Startup is Helping Bridge the Education Financing Gap in India
- 27 Women Leaders Share Lessons Learnt from India Women's WC Win
- 28 5 Enterprising Women Founders Powering Singapore's Tech & Innovation Landscape
- 29 4 Women. 4 Stories. One Vision for Smarter, Stronger Healthcare
- 30 Global Gender Gap Narrows to 68.8%, But Full Equality 123 Years Away: WEF Report 2025
- 31 Changemakers: 7 Women Entrepreneurs Taking the Make in India Movement Forward
- 32 Meet Lucy Guo, The Youngest Self-Made Female Billionaire Disrupting Tech
- 33 How Women are Driving India's Festive Online Shopping Surge
