SRINAGAR — J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday congratulated the Kashmiri mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Owais Yaqoob for his victory at BRAVE CF 107 in Bulgaria, where he defeated the unbeaten two-time IMMAF World champion.
Omar Abdullah’s office posted on X, "The chief minister congratulated J&K’s talented MMA fighter Owais Yaqoob on his remarkable victory at BRAVE CF 107 in Bulgaria, where he defeated an unbeaten two-time IMMAF world champion.
"Describing the achievement as a proud moment for Jammu & Kashmir and the nation, the Chief Minister wished him continued success and many more laurels on the global stage”.
Yaqoob scripted a memorable international victory on August 1 after defeating previously unbeaten Bulgarian fighter Delyan Georgiev via first-round technical knockout (TKO) at BRAVE Combat Federation (BRAVE CF) 107 held at Burgas Arena in Bulgaria.
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He produced a dominant performance, stopping Georgiev at the 4th mark of the opening round to register one of the biggest wins of his professional career. Georgiev entered the contest with an impressive record, having won two International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) Amateur World Championship titles.
The defeat marked the first loss of his career. Hailing from Murran village in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, Owais displayed composure, determination and technical superiority throughout the bout to outclass the Bulgarian fighter on one of the world’s leading MMA platforms.
Speaking after the victory, Owais dedicated the win to the people of India and Jammu and Kashmir. Owais said, “This victory means everything to me. I stepped into the cage carrying the hopes of my family, my people in Jammu and Kashmir, and the entire country. Defeating an unbeaten world champion is a dream achievement, but this is only the beginning. I will continue to work harder and aim for even greater success while proudly representing India on the global stage."
Although many Kashmiri wrestlers made their mark in the past, no athlete reached an international milestone as Yaqoob did for the country.