LAHORE: The successful athletes of Pakistan Open MMA Championship 2026 have expressed their determination to win gold medals for Pakistan at the World Championship scheduled to take place in Georgia in November.
The finals of the Pakistan Open Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Championship have concluded, featuring exciting contests across multiple weight categories for male and female fighters. In all, 28 fighters, including 18 men and 10 women, with 14 fights across 14 weight categories competed in the event that was conducted to hunt promising talent nationwide. The participation of female fighters was particularly noteworthy, as they demonstrated their skills and competitive spirit across different divisions.
In the women’s atomweight (47.7 kg) category, Saria Khan defeated Momina Irshad, while Bushra Akhtar overcame Bano in the strawweight (52.2 kg) division. Maham Baig secured victory over Hajra Bibi in the flyweight (56.7 kg) category.
In the men’s competitions, Mohibullah defeated Moheez Satti in the flyweight (56.7 kg) division. Muhammad Saif overcame Aurangzeb Ahmed in the strawweight category, while Shayan Mehdi defeated Tayyab in another contest in the same division.
Rashid Gujjar secured victory over Muhammad Jibran in the featherweight (65.8 kg) category, while Shams Khan defeated Zeeshan Akbar in the bantamweight (61.2 kg) division. Ibrahim Butt triumphed over Shahid Mahmood in the lightweight (70.3 kg) category. In the welterweight (77.1 kg) division, Asif Achakzai defeated Muhammad Talha, while Khizar Rehman overcame Mustafa in the middleweight (83.9 kg) category.
The gold medallists credited the support of the Pakistan MMA Federation especially of its president Omar Ahmed for providing them with opportunities to showcase their abilities and compete at a higher level. They expressed their resolve to build on their performances and win gold medals for Pakistan at the World Championship in Georgia in November.
Speaking on the occasion, Ali Haider Gillani, Member of Provincial Assembly of Punjab and Parliamentary Secretary, said that competitions of this nature would help identify and develop sporting talent. He noted that such events inspire young people, build confidence, and provide athletes with valuable opportunities to demonstrate their potential.
PakMMAF president Omar Ahmed said that the championship was organised after identifying promising talent from all four regions of Pakistan and bringing the selected fighters together to compete at the national level. He expressed confidence that the Pakistani fighters would deliver strong performances at the World Championship in Georgia in November and strive to win gold medals for the country.
Omar Ahmed also expressed his gratitude to the stakeholders whose collective efforts contributed to the success of the event. “I am highly thankful to all the stakeholders whose sincere and collective efforts made this event a huge success. I am especially grateful to ACTIVIT and its CEO, Rd. Rizwan Aftab Ahmed, whose 360-degree support consistently helps the federation and talented athletes excel at both national and international levels. The recent international achievement of the Ali sisters is a great example of their dedication to sports and sportspeople,” he said.
The Pakistan Open MMA Championship provided a valuable platform for male and female athletes to demonstrate their abilities, gain competitive experience, and prepare for international competition. With the successful conclusion of the national event, the selected fighters will now focus on the World Championship in Georgia, where they will aim to represent Pakistan with distinction and bring home gold medals.