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Srinagar: Owais Yaqoob, a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter from Pulwama in Kashmir, brought glory to the country by defeating Bulgaria’s Delyan Georgiev. When he returned home on Tuesday, he received a grand welcome in Pulwama. Speaking after his return, Yaqoob said, “First of all, I want to thank India. Today, not just this region, but the entire country is celebrating my victory.”
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Georgiev, whom Yaqoob defeated, is an IMMAF world champion. Yaqoob told reporters, “It feels as though the whole of India is celebrating my win. I received tremendous moral support from people across the country ahead of this fight. More than 1.6 million people watched my bout live on television and streaming platforms.”
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The 28-year-old Yaqoob trained under champion fighters in Russia before the contest. His next fight is scheduled to take place in Istanbul later this month.
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Yaqoob revealed that he fought despite battling injuries and illness. “When I left India, I was suffering from severe pain in my shoulder and leg because of an injury. After reaching the venue, I also developed a fever. Even then, I never allowed my focus to shift away from the fight, and I made sure I emerged victorious.”