Shahzaib Rind, a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, made history by becoming Pakistan’s first-ever world champion in the Karate Combat Championship (KC-49), held in Singapore on September 18.
Rind secured the title by defeating Brazil’s Bruno Roberto De Assis in the final of KC-49 karate championship, according to Karate Combat, the world’s premier full contact striking league.
“What a great performance by both fighters, but in the end – the Pakistani King was too much for Bruno Assis to handle. It came down to precision and conditioning but Shahzaib Rind did not leave the pit without a challenge,” according to the Karate Combat.
Mixed Martial Arts, a full-contact combat sport, combines striking, grappling, and ground fighting, integrating techniques from various combat sports globally.
Dream come true moment for Pakistani
The 26-year-old Balochistan native expressed his joy on X, describing the victory as a “dream come true,” alongside a photo of himself holding the championship belt.
In another post on X, featuring a video, the six-time national champion celebrated his win, saying, “Alhamdulillah, history has been made! This is the first time Pakistan has become a world champion in MMA. This was a very tough fight at the start, but I had hope and your prayers. I didn’t accept defeat, fought till the end, and became world champion for Pakistan.”
Shahzaib “King” Rind also took to Instagram to thank his coach, manager, family, and team for their support, acknowledging the role they played in his journey to the top.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Ms. Rabia Shafiq, congratulated Rind on X, praising him for making the country proud and wishing him continued success. She encouraged fellow Pakistanis to rally behind him in support.
Shahzaib “King” Rind
As a child, Rindh had a rebellious streak, often getting into fights. To channel his energy, his parents enrolled him in a wushu sanda club at the age of nine, which proved to be a turning point in his life. He embraced the discipline, leading him toward a professional martial arts career. Rindh has since achieved over 60 victories in wushu sanda and has also competed in boxing and kickboxing. Now competing in ONE Championship, he aims to represent Pakistan globally and become a two-division World Champion in the ONE Super Series.
Born and raised in Quetta, Rind had previously won the world’s premier full-contact striking league, Karate Combat, in the United States, and is a six-time national champion.
In April, following his 2-1 victory over his Indian counterpart at Dubai’s Karate Combat 45 event, Rind expressed disappointment over the lack of government support, calling it the nation’s “bad luck” for not backing its heroes. He emphasized that with proper support, athletes could serve as role models for the country’s youth, motivating them to pursue sports when they see their heroes appreciated and supported. At the time, Rind had already set his sights on becoming a world champion, a goal for which he had started training.
You can relive the glorious moments from Karate Combat 49 World Lightweight Title here: