NEW DELHI: Puja Tomar remembers a time when MMA had little recognition in India. Today, she sees more girls taking up the sport, more people following it and a growing interest in what happens inside the UFC Octagon. Having become the first Indian woman to win a fight in the promotion, Tomar wants to see that interest translate into opportunities for the next generation.The 32-year-old is in the spotlight again as part of the UFC India Tour, where she is looking forward to meeting fans and introducing more people to the sport.“It’s amazing. I always dreamt of the things that I am experiencing today. I never thought MMA would grow so much in India. But after the UFC events and after winning fights, a lot of things have improved,” Tomar told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interaction on Saturday.She has noticed a change in the number of women taking up MMA since her UFC debut in June 2024, when she defeated Brazil’s Rayanne dos Santos by split decision.“Earlier, there was hardly any awareness of MMA. Today, it has changed completely. It has become a trend, and everyone wants to take up MMA. Earlier, girls were unsure about whether they could do it, but now they are coming forward and doing well. A lot has changed,” she said.
The gaps Indian MMA still needs to address
Tomar has also seen the sport from the other side. Her experience competing internationally has given her an understanding of the preparation required to reach the UFC, and she believes Indian fighters need better support from the grassroots.“Things will have to change from the grassroots level. I’ve been involved in MMA for a long time, and over the years I’ve come to understand what is needed. We need international coaches, proper conditioning, the right kind of diet and proper guidance on weight cuts. These things are still lacking in many places in India,” she said.She believes more academies and gyms, with experienced coaches and fighters passing on their knowledge, could help address those shortcomings.“If more academies and gyms open in India, with international coaches and experienced fighters sharing their knowledge with young athletes, we can produce many UFC champions.”It is also the thinking behind her plan to start an MMA academy. Tomar wants to coach both men and women, but says she would particularly like to create an environment where more girls feel comfortable taking up the sport.“Sometimes, girls can find it difficult to feel comfortable in MMA. So, as a female coach, I would like to train more girls. Of course, I will train boys as well,” she said.Her own experience has given her a list of things she wants young fighters to have access to from the start.“There are many things that were missing during my own journey and caused delays, such as proper guidance, diet and learning how to work on an opponent. A lot of these things are still missing in India today. I am working towards it. And when the academy opens, I hope we can produce many UFC fighters and champions,” she said.Tomar would also like the UFC to play a role in building that infrastructure. She has a specific proposal: an academy where Indian fighters can train alongside UFC athletes.
India’s Puja Tomar
“Professional fighters don’t get much support from the government. If there is a place where they can get everything they need right from the grassroots level, that would make a big difference,” she said.“I would like the UFC to plan something like opening an academy. UFC fighters should come and train our Indian fighters, and even spar with them. When Indian fighters get the opportunity to match their mental strength against these athletes, a lot of things can happen.”Two defeats, a family setback and a return to trainingTomar’s own UFC career has had a difficult phase since that historic debut. She lost to Ireland’s Shauna Bannon by second-round submission in March 2025, before China’s Shi Ming submitted her in the first round of their Road to UFC bout in May 2026.The period after the fight against Shi was not straightforward either. Tomar had planned to return to training but a family situation forced her to put those plans on hold. Her mother was hospitalised for a month.“Soon after that fight, I was planning to return to training. But because of some family issues, I couldn’t. My mother was in the hospital for a month, and that affected me a lot. I was very down during that period,” she said.Her mother is now doing well, and Tomar says she is preparing to return to training. She wants to work on the areas of her game that still need improvement, including wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu.“If you’re in the UFC, you want to be a complete MMA fighter. You need to work on your ground game, wrestling and everything else. It’s not that I haven’t worked on these things since joining the UFC. I have worked on my wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu,” she said.“But there are still certain things and moments that you are unable to show inside the Octagon. I have worked on those areas, and I’m still working on them. I want to show what I’m capable of inside the Octagon. That’s what I’m working towards.”She has not lost sight of the first victory that made her a UFC fighter, either. Tomar recalled the win over dos Santos as a moment she will never forget, and said the difficult fights that followed have also taught her lessons.“My life has changed a lot, and I’m living a very good life. When I got my first victory, it was an amazing moment that I will never forget. I created history,” she said.“In my second loss, I felt I was very close to winning that fight. But that’s how I look at life: never give up. Never get demotivated. I always learn from my fights. If you want to stay in the UFC, every fight is tough, and every difficult fight teaches you something.”
Asha Roka, Carlos Prates and the next Indian fighter
Asked about Indian women who could follow her into the UFC, Tomar pointed to Asha Roka, whose striking she admires. Roka has a karate background, and Tomar said she had reached out to her after her own UFC debut victory.
Asha Roka (Photo by One Championship)
“Asha Roka, who comes from a karate background, has amazing striking. I called her after I won my first UFC fight. I told her that I look at her someone who has the potential to be in UFC. I think if she makes a comeback [to MMA], it will be easier for her to get a contract,” she said.
Brazilian UFC fighter Carlos Prates
Tomar is also looking forward to meeting Brazilian UFC fighter Carlos Prates, who is in India as part of the tour. She hopes established fighters can offer support and encouragement to Indian athletes trying to make their way into the promotion.“I’m excited to meet him. I want to talk to him about how he can inspire Indian fighters. He’s a legend, and he should inspire our fighters. He should also support them. For a young fighter, that kind of support means a lot,” she said.For Tomar, the immediate task is to get back into the gym and prepare for another UFC fight. She is not treating two defeats as the end of her run in the promotion.“It’s not as if I’ve lost two fights and that’s the end of it. I’m turning that disappointment into motivation. Losing a fight is difficult. But if I win my next fight and become a champion, a lot of things will change. It will be like cricket. It will be a big thing,” she said.
