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Puja Tomar made UFC history this past weekend, beating fellow strawweight Rayanne dos Santos via split decision to become the first Indian fighter to find victory in the promotion. Her efforts at UFC Louisville and subsequent return to India drew a flock of fans to the airport to welcome her.
Fans showered her with gifts and flowers, embracing and lifting her as they swarmed the airport. A clip of her hero's welcome has made the rounds on X, being shared by renowned combat sports reporter, Chamatkar Sandhu. Fans even surrounded and danced with Tomar.
Check out Puja Tomar being welcomed by fans at the airport:
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The level of fanfare she sparked caused many on social media to remark on how differently India hailed its sports heroes. One fan hoped that her success as the first winning Indian UFC fighter would inspire others to follow suit.
"Really dope to see, hopefully we see a massive spike in Indian MMA fighters in the coming years"
Another fan commended India on its treatment of Tomar.
"They got mad love for their hero. I love it"
Some even went as far as hailing her as a future UFC women's champion at strawweight.
"Future champ"
Others remarked on the potential reaction if Tomar does manage to enter title contention.
"Imagine the scene if she works her way into a title shot"
A collage of fan reactions can be seen below:
Despite the historic nature of her win over dos Santos, Tomar's UFC Louisville victory has been subject to some scrutiny, with some believing that she was the beneficiary of improper judging. Even her opponent, dos Santos, believes that she was at the center of a robbery.
Puja Tomar succeeded where Anshul Jubli failed
Before Puja Tomar's ascension, Anshul Jubli was regarded as the torchbearer of Indian MMA. He earned his UFC contract by TKO'ing Jeka Saragih in the final of the Road to UFC Season 1 Lightweight Tournament.
Check out Anshul Jubli's reaction to Puja Tomar's UFC Louisville win:
While the fight took place at UFC Vegas 68, Jubli was not technically a UFC fighter until after the fight, as the win is what earned him a UFC contract. For this reason, Tomar has the distinction of being India's first winner in the UFC, not Jubli.
