Pakistan’s Maliha Ali produced a major upset at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, defeating Russia’s Veronika Drozdova by split decision in the women’s featherweight (65.8kg) category.
The 24-year-old fighter from Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan, overcame the two-time European champion in a closely contested bout on Tuesday. Drozdova, 19, was among the competitors representing Russia, which arrived at the championships with a squad of more than 60 athletes and substantial institutional backing.
Maliha, a wushu champion and national kickboxing gold medallist, entered the competition after securing a silver medal at the IMMAF World Cup in Angola earlier this year.
Fight Breakdown
She began the contest cautiously but gradually took control, using her southpaw stance to close the distance and pin her opponent against the cage. She landed several clean strikes towards the end of the opening round, although Drozdova also managed to connect with a few powerful punches.
Maliha strengthened her position in the second round by securing a takedown and moving into full mount, from where she delivered a series of heavy strikes. However, she appeared to lose momentum in the final round as Drozdova took her down and controlled much of the action on the ground.
Despite losing the third round, Maliha’s performance in the first two rounds proved decisive, with the judges awarding her the victory.
Preparation and Resource Gap
Pakistan MMA Federation President Omar Ahmed said the team had organised a six-week training camp and hired an international jiu-jitsu and grappling coach to address weaknesses identified during Maliha’s previous competition in Angola.
He acknowledged the significant difference in resources available to the Russian and Pakistani teams, describing Pakistan’s federation as one of the least-funded participants at the event.
Despite limited resources, Ahmed said the fighters’ determination and commitment had helped them compete against well-established opponents.
Pakistan’s campaign at last year’s championships in Tbilisi was also reportedly financed entirely through private sponsorship, without government funding.
Next Up
Maliha is scheduled to face Mexico’s Andrea Gabriela Guzman Salazar in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
