LUANDA: Pakistan’s Manesha Ali clinched a gold medal at the IMMAF World Cup in Luanda, Angola, after submitting home fighter Leonela Isabel Blaiye in the second round, the Pakistan MMA Federation announced Sunday.
Ali, who trains at Brave Gym Lahore and hails from Gilgit-Baltistan, secured the decisive victory with just 15 seconds remaining in the second round.
With around 30 seconds left, Blaiye moved forward and launched a series of punches as fatigue set in. Ali responded by catching her opponent in a standing guillotine and held the submission until the referee stopped the contest.
Ali celebrated the victory with a roar before dropping to her knees. Her sister, Maleeha, who was watching from the crowd, cheered as the Pakistani fighter’s hand was raised. Ali became emotional during the medal-winning moment.
The tournament featured 15 top-ranked teams from around the world and brought together leading amateur mixed martial arts fighters.
The victory adds another milestone to Ali’s rapidly developing career. Her next assignment will be the Pakistan Open, followed by the IMMAF World Championships in Georgia, which are scheduled to begin on November 1. She will compete at the championships with the aim of challenging for a world title.
“I believe completely in my training and in the mentorship of Omar Ahmed,” Ali said in a statement issued by the Pakistan MMA Federation. “In less than a year, I have developed enormously as a fighter, but this is only one step.”
“My eyes are now firmly set on the IMMAF World Championships in Georgia. The goal is to become world champion in IMMAF and be the first Pakistani female fighter in UFC,” she added.
Pakistan MMA Federation chief Omar Ahmed said Ali’s international success made the challenges of managing the sport worthwhile.
“Running a sports federation in Pakistan is extremely tough. There are policy challenges, administrative hurdles and obstacles at almost every stage,” Ahmed said.
“But when you see one of our kids standing on top of an international podium, the Pakistan flag going up and the national anthem playing, everything becomes worth it. There is no better feeling,” he added.
