LUANDA: Pakistan’s Manisha Ali has won gold at the IMMAF World Cup in Angola after defeating home fighter Leonela Isabel Blaiye by submission in the second round.
لوانڈا:ہنزہ کی معروف فائٹر منیشا علی نے آئی ایم ایم اے ایف ورلڈ کپ میں افریقی چیمپئن کو شکست دیکر گولڈ میڈل جیت کر تاریخ رقم کر دی۔۔۔گلگت بلتستان کی بہادر بیٹی نے عالمی سطح پر ملک کا نام روشن کردیا pic.twitter.com/6kesQwVvOz
— Areeba Baig (@ArebaBaig) September 21, 2026
Representing Pakistan at the international amateur mixed martial arts event in Luanda, Ali secured victory with a standing guillotine choke after catching Blaiye during a late exchange.
Dramatic second-round finish
With around 30 seconds remaining in the round, Blaiye moved forward with a series of punches as fatigue began to show. Ali, who trains at Brave Gym Lahore, capitalised on the opening and locked in the submission hold.
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The referee stopped the bout with 15 seconds left, handing Ali a major international victory.
The Pakistani fighter celebrated the win before dropping to her knees, while her sister Maleeha watched from the crowd as Ali’s hand was raised.
Road to world championship
The IMMAF World Cup featured 15 top-ranked teams and some of the leading amateur MMA fighters from around the world.
Ali, who comes from Gilgit-Baltistan, said the victory was a result of her training and guidance from coach Omar Ahmed.
“I believe completely in my training and in the mentorship of Omar Ahmed,” Ali said in a statement released by the Pakistan MMA Federation.
She added that her development as a fighter had accelerated within less than a year but described the World Cup win as only one step towards her bigger ambitions.
Seeking historic UFC pathway
Following her gold medal achievement, Ali will compete at the Pakistan Open before turning her focus to the IMMAF World Championships in Georgia, beginning on November 1.
Her long-term goal is to win the IMMAF world title and become the first Pakistani female fighter to compete in the UFC.
Pakistan MMA Federation chief Omar Ahmed praised Ali’s achievement, saying the result reflected efforts to develop mixed martial arts in the country despite administrative challenges.
Ali will now aim to build on her World Cup success as she prepares for the next stage of her international MMA career.
