Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Shahzaib Rindh clinched the Karate Combat Championship (KC-49) title in Singapore on Wednesday, marking him as Pakistan’s first world champion in this category.
He won over Brazil’s Bruno Roberto De Assis in the final, as announced by Karate Combat, known as the “world’s premier full contact striking league.” MMA combines striking, grappling, and ground fighting, integrating techniques from diverse global combat sports.
Rindh, a 26-year-old from Balochistan, expressed his delight on X, posting a photo with the championship belt and calling it a “dream come true.”
Furthermore, in a video shared on X, the six-time national champion exclaimed, “Alhamdulillah, history has been made! This is the first time Pakistan has been a world champion in MMA. It started as a tough fight, but your prayers and my hope kept me going. I never gave up and fought until the end to claim this title for our country.”
On Instagram, he acknowledged, “It has been a long and challenging journey, but we did it.” He thanked his coach, manager, family, and team for their support.
In April, after a victory over India in Dubai at the Karate Combat 45 event, Rindh criticized the lack of government support for national athletes. He suggested that athletes could become inspirational figures for the youth with proper backing. “When they see their role models appreciated and supported, they will be motivated to join sports,” he remarked.
Rindh had already started training for the world championship, setting his sights on this significant achievement.
