Asim Khan Wins Pakistan’s First Asian Games MMA Medal

Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail

Pakistan’s Asim Khan has created history by winning a bronze medal in the men’s Modern Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) -60kg category at the 2026 Asian Games.

Asim, Pakistan’s only MMA athlete at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, lost his semifinal bout to Tajikistan’s Mirzobek Umarov by a 3-0 decision. The result ended his chance of reaching the gold-medal match but secured Pakistan a place on the podium.

Historic Medal for Pakistan

The bronze medal marks the first Asian Games MMA medal for Pakistan. The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya edition is also the first Asian Games to include MMA as a competition.

Asim reached the semifinals after defeating Cambodia’s Sopanha Pheng 3-0 in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

The Modern -60kg category featured 10 fighters, and Asim’s quarterfinal victory guaranteed him at least a bronze medal.

Umarov Advances to Final

Tajikistan’s Mirzobek Umarov produced another strong performance in the semifinal, earning a unanimous 3-0 decision over Asim to advance to the final.

Despite the result, Asim’s performance secured a historic podium finish for Pakistan in the country’s first appearance in Asian Games MMA competition.

Coach Praises Asim’s Performance

Asim’s coach, Dilawar Khan, said the competition was particularly challenging because professional-level fighters were permitted to participate.

According to the coach, professionals were allowed to compete at the Asian Games for the first time, bringing different levels of preparation, training, and nutrition to the event.

He said the team remained satisfied with the outcome, highlighting Asim’s bronze medal as an important achievement for Pakistan’s MMA program.

Pakistan is participating in 23 sports disciplines at the 2026 Asian Games.