Hunza fighter advances to quarter-finals after split-decision victory over Russia’s Veronika Drozdova
Pakistan’s Maliha Ali celebrates after winning her fatherweight bout against Russia’s Veronika Drozdova during the IMMAF World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, on November 3, 2026. —Courtesy PAKMMA Federation
Pakistan’s Maliha Ali produced an impressive performance to defeat two-time European champion Veronika Drozdova at the IMMAF World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old from Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan, edged the 19-year-old Russian by split decision in their featherweight (65.8kg) bout to advance to the quarter-finals.
Maliha, a wushu champion and national kickboxing gold medallist, entered the tournament after winning silver at the IMMAF World Cup in Angola earlier this year.
Fighting from a southpaw stance, she started cautiously before taking the fight to Drozdova against the cage and landing clean strikes to finish the opening round strongly.
She stepped up her performance in the second, securing a takedown and moving into full mount, where she landed several heavy blows from the top.
However, Maliha appeared to tire in the final round, allowing Drozdova to secure a takedown and control much of the action on the ground.
The Russian took the third round, but Maliha’s dominance in the opening two proved decisive as the judges awarded her the victory.
She celebrated the announcement with a roar before embracing her opponent and dropping to the mat in prostration, with the Pakistan flag draped over her shoulders.
Pakistan MMA Federation president Omar Ahmed also celebrated jubilantly from her corner.
Maliha will face Mexico’s Andrea Gabriela Guzman Salazar in Wednesday’s quarter-finals as she targets a place in the last four.
Her twin sister Manesha, who won gold at the World Cup in Luanda earlier this year, will also compete on Wednesday, taking on Poland’s Martyna Caruk.