‘More girls are coming’: Puja Tomar on the growing popularity of MMA in India and what it will take to produce UFC fighters

Puja Tomar (Getty Images) 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 watching it, and a growing interest in what goes on inside the UFC Octagon. Tomar, who became the first Indian woman to win the promotion, wants the interest to translate into opportunities for the next generation.The 32-year-old is back in the spotlight on the UFC India Tour, where she is looking forward to meeting fans and getting to know more people about the sport.“It’s amazing. I always dreamed of the things I’m experiencing today. I never thought that MMA would grow so much in India. But after the UFC events and after the winning fights, a lot of things have improved,” Tomar said in an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com on Saturday.Since her UFC debut in June 2024, when she defeated Brazil’s Rayanne dos Santos by split, she has seen a change in the number of women involved in MMA.“Earlier there was almost no awareness of MMA. Today it has completely changed. It has become a trend and everyone wants to do MMA. Before, girls were not sure if they could do it, but now they are coming forward and doing well. It has changed a lot,” she said.

Gaps that Indian MMA has yet to address

Tomar saw the sport from the other side as well. Her experience in international competitions has given her an understanding of the preparation required to make it to the UFC and she believes that Indian fighters need better support from the ground up.“Things will have to change at the grassroots level. I have been involved in MMA for a long time and over the years I have understood what is required. We need international coaches, proper fitness, proper diet and proper weight loss guidance. These things are still lacking in many places in India,” she said.He believes more academies and gyms, with experienced trainers and fighters passing on their knowledge, could help address these deficiencies.“If more academies and gyms are opened in India where international coaches and experienced fighters share their knowledge with young athletes, we can produce many UFC champions.”It’s also the idea behind her plan to start an MMA academy. Tomar wants to coach both men and women, but says she’d especially like to create an environment where more girls feel comfortable playing the sport.“Sometimes it’s hard for girls to feel comfortable in MMA. So as a 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 I missed during my own journey and caused delays like proper guidance, diet and learning how to work the opponent. A lot of these things are still missing in India today. I am working on it. And when the academy opens, I hope we can produce many fighters and UFC champions,” she said.Tomar would also like to see the UFC play a role in building that infrastructure. He has a specific proposal: an academy where Indian fighters can train alongside UFC athletes.

Indian Puja Tomar

“Professional fighters don’t get a lot of support from the government. If there’s a place where they can get everything they need right at the grassroots level, that would make a big difference,” she said.“I would like 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 a chance to test 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 in the second round in March 2025 before being submitted by China’s Shi Ming in the first round of their Road to UFC bout in May 2026.Even the period after the fight against Shi was not straightforward. Tomar planned to return to training, but a family situation forced her to postpone those plans. Her mother was hospitalized for a month.“I planned to return to training soon after that match. But due to 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. He wants to work on areas of his 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 have to work on your ground game, wrestling and everything else. It’s not like I haven’t worked on those things since joining the UFC. I’ve been working on my wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu,” she said.“But there are still certain things and moments that you can’t show in the Octagon. I’ve worked on those areas and I’m still working on them. I want to show what I’m capable of in the Octagon. That’s what I’m working on.”Even she didn’t lose sight of the first victory that made her a UFC fighter. Tomar recalled the win over dos Santos as a moment she will never forget, and said the tough matches that followed also taught her lessons.“My life has changed a lot and I am living a very good life. When I got my first win, it was an amazing moment that I will never forget. I made history,” she said.“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 tough fight teaches you something.”

Asha Roka, Carlos Prates and another Indian fighter

When asked about Indian women who could follow her into the UFC, Tomar pointed to Asha Roka, whose imagination she admires. A year into karate, Tomar said she was approached 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 when I won my first fight in the UFC. I told her that I look at her as someone who has the potential to be in the UFC. I think if she comes back (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. He hopes established fighters can offer support and encouragement to Indian athletes trying to make it to the promotion.“I am excited to meet him. I want to talk to him about how he can inspire Indian fighters. He is a legend and he should inspire our fighters. He should also support them. For a young fighter, such support means a lot,” she said.For Tomar, the immediate task is to get back in the gym and prepare for his next UFC fight. He does not consider two defeats to be the end of his promotion journey.“It’s not like I lose two fights and that’s the end of it. I turn that disappointment into motivation. Losing a fight is hard. But if I win my next fight and become the champion, a lot of things will change. It will be like cricket. It will be a big thing,” she said.