Maliha Ali Wins MMA Bronze for Pakistan
Maliha Ali wins MMA bronze for Pakistan. She fought with a fractured toe, a severely bruised eyelid and a partially dislocated jaw. She fought anyway.
When Omar Ahmed, president of the Pakistan MMA Federation, asked if she could compete, her response was simple.
“Sir, we fight from the heart,” she said. “These hands and feet are just not that important.”
That courage carried her to the semi-final of the IMMAF World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. It could not carry her past the judges. Her run ended in a bronze medal and a dispute on Thursday. Maliha Ali wins MMA bronze for Pakistan after the split-decision loss, and the Pakistan MMA Federation has filed a formal appeal over her semi-final defeat to Russia’s Polina Baldina in the featherweight (65.8kg) semi-final.
How Maliha Ali reached the semi-final
Maliha had a run of her own before the semi-final. She beat another Russian in the same division on Tuesday, two-time European champion Veronika Drozdova, by split decision. Then she reached the semi-final with a unanimous decision over Mexico’s Andrea Gabriela Guzman Salazar.
Baldina, 23, is a former world champion in a different MMA federation, having won a world title in Khanty-Mansiysk in 2024. She had won three bouts on her way to the final.
When the final bell rang against Baldina, Maliha stood with her arms raised, believing she had done enough.
The fight was close. No round was won clearly by either fighter, though Maliha landed the cleaner shots in the third.
Maliha Ali wins MMA bronze: the disputed scorecards
The scorecards told a different story. One judge scored the bout 30-27 for Baldina, giving Maliha no rounds. Another scored it 29-28 for Maliha. The third scored it 29-28 for Baldina. Three judges, three different scorecards, and the decision went to the Russian.
“It was a clear win. We were literally robbed,” Omar told Dawn.
The federation has submitted a formal letter to the Head of the IMMAF Refereeing and Judging Commission. It requests a round-by-round breakdown of the scoring, an explanation for the disparate scorecards, and a face-to-face technical review of both fights.
Omar highlighted a deeper issue. In the letter, he noted that Pakistan lost a semi-final by split decision at last year’s championships as well.
“When different explanations are provided for similar judging situations, it becomes difficult for national federations to establish a consistent understanding of the standards against which their athletes are being assessed,” the letter stated.
Omar went further, alleging that ex-Soviet states favour each other in judging and dominate the refereeing space, while Russia brought two fighters per weight class and a multi-million dollar budget, and Pakistan had zero officials on the panel.
The appeal is pending. Maliha leaves Tbilisi with a bronze medal and, her federation insists, a claim to something more.
A family affair in Tbilisi
Wednesday had been a tough day for the family, too. Maliha’s twin sister Manesha, who won gold at the IMMAF World Cup in Angola this year, also lost a narrow split decision to Poland’s Martyna Caruk in the lightweight (70.3kg) quarter-finals.
Two sisters, two split decisions, two defeats in the same week. For the Ali family, the week still brought a world bronze medal home.
Pakistani fighters have been building a presence on the world stage. Ilia Topuria is targeting Paddy Pimblett for his April 2027 return, a fight that will draw global attention to MMA, while Shaun Tait’s appointment as Lahore Qalandars head coach shows how Pakistani sport keeps finding new stages.
Maliha’s bronze is Pakistan’s latest step in that direction. The appeal may or may not change the result, but the medal is already won.
Elsewhere in sport this week, Kimi Antonelli began preparations for his 2027 title defence in Sao Paulo, and Barcelona extended Raphinha’s contract until 2030.
She fought from the heart. Now, her federation fights for her.
Who did Maliha Ali lose to in the semi-final?
Russia’s Polina Baldina, 23, a former world champion in a different MMA federation, beat Maliha by split decision in the featherweight (65.8kg) semi-final.
What were the judges’ scores?
One judge scored the bout 30-27 for Baldina, another scored it 29-28 for Maliha, and the third scored it 29-28 for Baldina.
Why has Pakistan appealed?
The Pakistan MMA Federation has asked the IMMAF Refereeing and Judging Commission for a round-by-round scoring breakdown, an explanation for the disparate scorecards, and a face-to-face technical review of both fights.
Who is Manesha Ali?
Maliha’s twin sister, who won gold at the IMMAF World Cup in Angola earlier this year. She lost a narrow split decision to Poland’s Martyna Caruk in the lightweight (70.3kg) quarter-finals in Tbilisi.
