Emirati girl Balqees Al Hashmi won her first steel cage Jiu-Jitsu fight by defeating her Russian opponent Maria Odintsova at the Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship with an Omoplata submission move. The 20-year-old from Abu Dhabi showcased her grappling techniques, using the octagon to her advantage.
“I got hurt in my leg, but I didn’t want to leave my fate to the judge’s decision. In the third round, I was determined to score good points. I gave it my all. I wanted to leave the cage with a win,” Balqees reported.
Following her victory, she posted on Instagram to express her gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, President of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, her coaches, physiotherapists, teammates, friends, and family. Her post, which has since gone viral, ended with, “This is just the beginning, inshallah more to come.”
Here are a few pictures taken from her Instagram:
