"That is absolutely amazing" - Fans thrilled as first Indian female fighter in UFC, Puja Tomar, has fight booked at Louisville

India will have their newest MMA fighter at center stage on June 8.

As first reported by First Round Management Europe and confirmed by multiple other sources, strawweight Puja Tomar has signed with the UFC and will debut with the company at the UFC Fight Night card in Louisville, Kentucky. Once she steps into the octagon, Tomar will become the first female Indian fighter in UFC history.

Entering her inaugural Octagon appearance, Tomar is 8-4 as a professional and went 1-4 in ONE Championship, a run that included an unsuccessful Muay Thai fight.

Since departing with ONE Championship, Tomar went 4-0 with Matrix Fight Night and became the promotion's strawweight champion with a TKO win over Bi Nguyen in 2022.

Per reports, Tomar will make her debut against Rayanne Amanda dos Santos, a Brazilian who made her debut at UFC Vegas 83, losing a split decision to Talita Alencar.

Fans — particularly those from India — were ecstatic to hear the news of Tomar's signing. Expressing excitement, one fan commented:

"That is absolutely amazing! India is with you"

Fan reacting to Puja Tomar signing with the UFC [via @sandhumma on Instagram]

Tomar will join former Road to UFC winner Anshul Jubli as the only active Indian fighter on the UFC roster. Jubli is currently 1-1 with the promotion, last losing to Mike Breeden at UFC 294.

Other fans commented:

"Rooting for this fight"

"She will definitely win"

"Good for her and good luck!"

"Lesssgooo"

View more fan reactions to Puja Tomar's signing with the UFC below:

Fans reacting to Puja Tomar signing with the UFC [via @sandhumma on Instagram]

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Who is Puja Tomar?

As the first female fighter ever signed by the UFC, Puja Tomar is only 8-4 as a professional MMA fighter but is a lifelong martial artist. Before her cage fighting career began, Tomar was a five-time Wushu India national champion.

According to several Indian news sites, Tomar has also competed in Muay Thai and karate.

Although going just 1-4 in ONE Championship — with one loss being a Muay Thai fight — two of Tomar's losses came against fellow high-level strikers Stamp Fairtex and Bi Nguyen. Tomar would eventually avenge her loss to Nguyen three years later in Matrix Fight Night.