Luanda: Pakistan has a new name on the international mixed martial arts stage after Manisha Ali won gold at the IMMAF World Cup in Angola, defeating home favourite and two-time world champion Leonela Isabel Blaiye in a dramatic final.
Ali’s appearance in the final had already been regarded as one of the tournament’s major upsets. Blaiye entered the bout with greater international experience and a height advantage, and initially appeared to have control of the contest.
The Angolan fighter attacked aggressively from the opening bell, landing several powerful punches. Blaiye maintained the pressure through the first round, and the early stages of the second round followed a similar pattern.
But with the second round entering its final moments, the momentum suddenly changed.
With around 30 seconds remaining, Blaiye continued attacking as both fighters showed signs of fatigue. Ali then capitalised on an opening and locked her opponent into a standing guillotine.
She tightened the submission and, with only about 15 seconds left in the round, forced Blaiye to tap out.
The unexpected finish secured the gold medal for Pakistan and turned what had been viewed as a difficult final into a landmark victory for Ali.
The achievement also adds to the growing profile of women in Pakistani combat sports, with Ali now setting her sights on even bigger international goals.
Her next target is the Pakistan Open, followed by the IMMAF World Championship in Georgia, scheduled to begin on November 1. Ali is aiming to become an IMMAF world champion and has also set her sights on becoming Pakistan’s first female fighter to reach the UFC.
