Daily Times

Pakistan’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) prospect Ahmed Mujtaba is set to face China’s Ma Jia Wen in a Featherweight battle at Asia’s premier promotion ONE Championship in March.

Mujtaba, hailing from Quetta, has piled up an impressive record of 8-1 in MMA. He last faced China’s Li Kai Wen in November 2017, but the bout ended in a disqualification victory for Ahmed after the Chinese struck numerous illegal blows at the back of his opponent’s head.

In a video message on Facebook after the fight, Mujtaba had said that his opponent had hit him multiple times at the back of his head which resulted in him losing consciousness. Awarding him with the win was the correct decision, said Ahmed.

Earlier, the Wolverine from Balochistan had called India’s Rajinder Sindh Meena, but to no avail. He announced on his Facebook on Wednesday that ONE has booked him for a fight against Ma Jia Wen (4-2 MMA) for a Featherweight bout.

“It’s official! I’m fighting at ONE Championship Visions of victory on March 9 against Ma Jia Wen (China) in Kuala Lumpur! Please come and support me if you are there. This one is for Pakistan! Allahoakbar! Now need all your prayers,” he said.

The former UGB Featherweight champion fights out of Islamabad’s Fight Fortress and is without a doubt, Pakistan’s most popular young prospect. The 24-year-old utilises his skills to perfection and is also well-rounded in all departments.

Mujtaba, who has a record of 2-1 at ONE, is one of the promotion’s leading Featherweights and with a stacked division, his climb to the top of the division would surely be a tough ask.

MMA has seen a rise in popularity in Pakistan over the past decade. Known as the Godfather of the sport in the country, Bashir Ahmed, stepped foot in Lahore in 2007 and changed the country’s sporting dynamics.

Now, an occasional fighter and a staff member at ONE, Bashir is making sure Pakistani fighters get their deserved share at the global scenario and prove their metal.

Among the more prominent fighters to have fought at ONE include Bashir himself, Ahmed Mujtaba, Waqar Umar and Muhammad Imran.