Pakistan's Maliha Ali topples Russia's Drozdova at MMA world championships

Maliha Ali, a 24-year-old from Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan, emerged victorious at the IMMAF World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, by defeating Russian fighter Veronika Drozdova in their featherweight bout. Drozdova, a two-time European champion and 19-year-old, lost the match on split decision. Ali, who is also a wushu champion and national kickboxing gold medallist, displayed her skills from a southpaw stance, controlling the fight early and landing clean strikes in the first round.

She dominated the second round, securing a takedown and moving into full mount, where she landed heavy blows. However, her energy appeared to wane in the third round, leading to Drozdova taking the fight to the ground. Despite the third round's outcome, the judges favored Ali, who celebrated her win by standing with arms raised and later hugging her opponent before dropping to the mat in prostration, draped in the Pakistan flag.

Ali's victory was not without challenges; her federation had identified areas of improvement after her silver medal run at the IMMAF World Cup in Angola earlier this year. Despite the disparities in resources between Pakistan and Russia, Ali's hard work, strategy, and grit played a significant role in her success. She faces Mexico's Andrea Gabriela Guzman Salazar in the quarter-finals, and her twin sister Manesha, a gold medalist, competes in the same event.