Sports Trumpet Exclusive Interview with fighter Puja Tomar

Puja Tomar : parent should support their daughter, they should not think of just marrying off their daughters; instead, they should prepare their kids to become a ‘yoddha’ (warriorparent should support their daughter

Puja Tomar : A girl from Uttar Pradesh with a tragic childhood, Puja Tomar took to Wushu to help her mother raise her and her 2 sisters, who lost their father at an early age. After the initial struggles, Puja went on to become India’s Wushu champion for successive years. She represented India in the Wushu World Championships, and also had stints with the ONE Championship (MMA).

As Puja gears up for her second fight in the Matrix Fight Night (MFN), our team at Sports Trumpet talked to the talented fighter. Here are some excerpts from the interview.

First things first, how did you get into combat sports?

I lost my dad early and had to look after my 2 sisters. In most families, a brother stands up for his sister when something happens, but I knew I didn’t have that luxury. I had to do something to look after my sisters. So, I took to Karate.

We have heard about the Jackie Chan connection to your life. Can you please tell us about that?

It’s a long story, so I will tell you in brief. As I said earlier, I had to stand up for my sisters, but I was small and used to get beaten up. People used to taunt my mother that there was no male in the house, and may God save the girls. So, I started watching Jackie Chan’s movies and learnt Karate thinking I would beat people up if they said anything to my sisters.

People care a lot about your face, appearance, etc., if you are a girl. How difficult was it to convince people around you to let you take up combat sports, given the risk of an injury and its appearance on your looks?

It was difficult. People really think that if you get injured, and if you don’t look good, you may not find a good bridegroom. No one in my family was ready to let me fight, I thought I would be able to convince my grandfather (who normally agreed to everything I said), but even he didn’t agree. However, my mother had the final call, and fortunately, she agreed.

Coming to MMA, how has it evolved since the time you have seen it, especially for women fighters?

MMA has grown multiple folds over the year, both for male and female fighters. Earlier, there was no proper platform – there were extremes, you were either thrown into the deep end without proper training and you could swim your way out, or you were just left out. But since the start of MFN, things have improved.

What role has MFN played in it?

MFN has provided the platform for the fighters to train and test themselves against each other. A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step. MFN has been that platform that lets you take those steps, providing you with the obstacles you need to prepare for that journey. 2 MFN fighters have played in the Road to UFC tournament.

Can you tell us about your next opponent?

I will face Tenjin Pema in my MFN fight. She is a strong fighter, but her fighting style is similar to mine. Both of us have a Wushu background and I find it easier to fight an opponent with a Wushu background.

What is your future plan?

I came up against tough fighters in the One Championship, which spoilt my record. So, I want to gradually improve further and improve my record before trying to push for the UFC.

With the family background that you had, I am sure there must have been economic constraints. How did it impact your development?

I will tell you about an incident. My sister wanted to be a doctor, but we didn’t have enough money to pay her fees. I normally used to fight in the 48-kg weight category but I fought in the 63-kg weight category because there was money on offer, which could help us pay my sister’s fees. I sent that money to my sister, who is now a doctor. Now, she earns well and spends on me.

What message do you have for Indian girls aspiring to take up combat sports?

Every Indian girl should learn MMA, be it for fitness or self-defence. People join gyms, but it’s best if they take MMA classes instead. Every parent should support their daughter, they should not think of just marrying off their daughters; instead, they should prepare their kids to become a ‘yoddha’ (warrior).