Owais Yaqoob — Second best Mixed Martial Arts player in India

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Owais Yaqoob - Mixed Martial Arts player from Pulwama
Owais Yaqoob - Mixed Martial Arts player from Pulwama

PULWAMA — After winning numerous medals at the state and national level, a youth named Owais Yaqoob from south Kashmir was recently declared as the second-best Mixed Martial Arts player in the country by All India Mixed Martial Arts Federation (AIMMAF).

Owais Yaqoob, 22, a resident of Murran village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district has so far won 11 gold medals and six silver medals at the national level, besides 17 gold medals at the state level in different forms of Martial Arts.

Owais said that he was passionate about Martial Arts since childhood and from 2013, he started taking part in competitions.

Owais Yaqoob while displaying his skills
Owais Yaqoob while displaying his skills

In year 2013, in his very first competition, Owais managed to bag a gold medal, on the basis of which he got an opportunity to represent J&K at national level where he brought laurels by winning dozens of medals.

“After playing at national level at various places, I joined Mixed Martial Arts camping with different coaches in different states of India,” he said, adding that after attending camps, he started taking part in Mixed Martial Arts fights.

“So far, I have won 11 gold medals, six silver medals at national level and 17 gold medals at the state level and officials at All India Mixed Martial Arts Federation declared me as the second best Mixed Martial Arts player of India,” he said.

“Besides medals, based on my performance, I have received titles like ‘Best Fighter Boy’ in 28 states besides ‘Champion of Champions’ in 2018 in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Owais says since 2015, he has taught over 200 youth the different forms of Martial Arts and among them, many have represented J&K at the national level and even won gold medals.

Owais Yaqoob during his training
Owais Yaqoob during his training

Owais said that to stay away from drug and anti-social activities, there is a need to get involved in sports and Martial Arts and in order to teach the youth of Pulwama district and keep them away from drugs, he has come with an academy named Lion’s Den.

He said that youth of J&K aren’t so much interested in Martial Arts like he saw outside J&K due to lack of infrastructure. “However, new centres are coming up and new forms of Martial Arts like Jiujitsu are being taught at these centres,” he says.

Owais claims that Jiujitsu and other forms of Martial Art are only being taught at his centre and people interested in Martial Arts must work hard and show consistency and one day, they will be champions.

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