TBILISI: Maliha Ali, a 24-year-old martial artist from Hunza, has become the first Pakistani woman to reach a final at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) World Championships, currently underway in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Competing in the women’s featherweight category, Maliha secured her place in the final after defeating three international opponents in the knockout rounds.
In the Round of 16, she defeated Russia’s Veronika Drozdova, a two-time European champion, by split decision. She then overcame Mexico’s Andrea Gabriela Guzman Salazar in the quarter-final before defeating Russia’s Polina Baldina in the semi-final.
Maliha will face Finland’s Kerttu Saarnisaari in the final on Saturday, November 7, at the Sports Palace in Tbilisi.
Her achievement marks a significant milestone for Pakistani women’s mixed martial arts and brings international recognition to Hunza and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Maliha has more than a decade of experience in combat sports. She is a two-time national MMA gold medallist, holds a black belt in Taekwondo and a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Her sporting background also includes Judo, Wushu and grappling.
In September 2026, she won an international silver medal at the IMMAF World Cup in Luanda, Angola. She also secured a bronze medal at the 2024 KASAD Asian Taekwondo Open Championship in Indonesia.
Her international experience includes participation in the 2021 FISU World University Games in Chengdu, China, and a Taekwondo training camp in Russia in 2023.
Maliha has also competed alongside her twin sister, Manisha Ali, with the two gaining recognition for their participation in martial arts.
Her qualification for the world championship final is being celebrated as a landmark achievement for women athletes from Pakistan, particularly those from remote regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan.
