Anita Karim: Pakistan’s trailblazing MMA fighter breaking barriers and bones

Growing up in the remote northern region of Pakistan, Anita Karim learned to fight by sparring with her three older brothers, who never held back.

That tough upbringing prepared her for a career in mixed martial arts (MMA), a discipline that blends Thai kickboxing, Japanese judo, and wrestling. Today, she stands as Pakistan's most accomplished female MMA fighter.

"The village where I come from supports women fighters," Karim told AFP. "But when I started MMA, they had no awareness of this sport. They said it's a men's game, and a woman cannot do it."

Despite the scepticism, she fought for her place in the sport. Eight years ago, she made history by becoming Pakistan's first woman to compete internationally in MMA, eventually earning a place in Asia's premier promotion, ONE Championship.

"Now, misogynistic comments and criticisms have stopped," she said, speaking from her gym in Islamabad, where she trains in an unheated octagonal cage.

Fighting against the odds

It is rare for women to pursue sports in Pakistan, where social and familial restrictions often prevent them from doing so. However, Karim hails from Gilgit-Baltistan, a region where conservative gender norms are comparatively relaxed, allowing women to take part in sports more freely.

Her success has inspired others. In October, two sisters from her region, Maliha and Maneesha Ali, won gold and bronze medals at a taekwondo competition in Indonesia, further proving that women from the region can excel in combat sports.

Karim's rise to prominence was fuelled by her family's unwavering support. Her brother Uloomi, a professional MMA fighter himself, transitioned from her sparring partner to her coach.

"When she showed the commitment and dedication, we knew she was going to make it," said Uloomi, who also trains at their family-owned gym. "We knew she could take it, and we didn't have any issues with her training alongside men."

Though reserved outside the cage, Karim transforms into a formidable competitor in the ring. Her signature move, the armlock, has earned her a fearsome reputation. In 2022, after a tournament where she left two opponents nursing broken arms, she was nicknamed "the arm collector."

"They could have tapped to stop the fight, but they didn't," she recalled. "So I went through with it."

Overcoming barriers

Karim initially trained in taekwondo and jiu-jitsu before discovering MMA while studying in Islamabad. Her community was initially critical of her choice, but their perception changed as she gained recognition.

"A lot of people close to me criticised me, but that's part of the game. Now they understand how it works," she said.

She faced challenges even on the professional stage. On her debut in 2018, the referee refused to let her fight until she rolled up her leggings above her knees. Determined to improve, she later moved to Thailand to train at an elite MMA academy.

Now a professional fighter, Karim earns a living from competition prize money, modest government grants, and coaching at her gym in Islamabad. Each time she returns from a fight, she is greeted by crowds at the airport, reflecting her growing influence in Pakistan's fledgling MMA scene.

Many young women now look up to her. One of her students, Bushra Ahmed, is determined to follow in Karim's footsteps. "Anita is a role model for us," she said, catching her breath after a rigorous training session with Karim and a group of male fighters.

Beyond her success in MMA, Karim wants to empower Pakistani women with confidence and self-defence skills, particularly in a country where over 80 percent of women have faced public harassment, according to the United Nations.

She herself has had to rely on those skills outside the cage. "Recently, a man was harassing me in a market in Islamabad," she said. "I hit him, and he left with his face covered in blood."