Pakistan’s Manesha Ali has won a gold medal at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) World Cup in Luanda, Angola, defeating the host country’s Leonela Isabel Blaiye in the final.
Manesha secured the victory through a second-round submission, using a standing guillotine with just 15 seconds remaining in the bout. The Angolan fighter had launched a late attack with a series of punches, but Manesha responded with the decisive submission to seal the gold medal.
The Pakistani fighter, who hails from Gilgit-Baltistan and trains at Brave Gym in Lahore, celebrated emotionally after the referee confirmed her victory. Her sister, Maleeha, was also present in the crowd and cheered her on during the historic moment.
The IMMAF World Cup featured 15 top-ranked teams from around the world, bringing together leading amateur MMA fighters for the international competition. Manesha’s victory adds another significant achievement to Pakistan’s growing presence in mixed martial arts.
Following her World Cup triumph, Manesha is set to compete at the Pakistan Open before turning her attention to the IMMAF World Championships in Georgia, scheduled to begin on November 1.
Manesha has said her goal is to become an IMMAF world champion and become the first Pakistani female fighter to compete in the UFC.
