A historic moment for Israeli sports: Pnina Aronov won gold at the MMA World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Saturday, defeating Czech fighter Aisha Smudkova by submission in the third round of the final. Competing in the women's senior division at 56.7 kilograms (125 pounds), Aronov completed a remarkable week with five victories in five fights, becoming Israel's first world champion under the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF).
The victory capped an outstanding performance by Aronov, who finished three of her fights by submission and won the other two by unanimous decision. In the championship bout, she once again demonstrated her finishing ability, securing a third-round submission to claim the gold medal and the most significant achievement in Israeli MMA history.
Pnina Aronov celebrates the win in Tbilis
(Photo: IMMAF Association)
Aronov began her title run with a unanimous decision victory over a Russian opponent. In the round of 16, she submitted the African champion from Zambia in the opening round, before defeating Ireland's Sarah Kearney by second-round submission in the quarterfinals. She then beat Russia's Elizaveta Kovaleva by unanimous decision in the semifinals, setting up Saturday's fifth victory and gold medal triumph.
Alongside her success in the cage, Aronov also faced unsportsmanlike conduct from her opponents from Zambia and Ireland, who refused to shake her hand after losing, despite her approaching them to offer the gesture.
Israel's MMA delegation to the World Championships included 15 male and female fighters. Aronov, the last Israeli competitor remaining in the tournament, finished at the top of the podium, delivering a historic achievement for the national team.
Ido Pariente, president of the Israeli MMA Federation, praised the new champion. "Pnina is showing the entire world the strength of the women who come from our country. The first world champion in the history of Israel's MMA Federation. Five fights in five days, in one of the toughest competitions in the world. Pnina, the entire federation and all of Israel are proud of you."
Arik Kaplan, president and CEO of Ayelet, Israel's federation for non-Olympic sports, also celebrated the achievement.
"Pnina Aronov, world champion. There is so much pride in those words. Five fights, five victories and three submissions, including in the final, are an extraordinary achievement by an athlete who rose to the occasion and proved she is the best in the world," Kaplan said.
"Even in the face of the unsportsmanlike behavior she experienced, Pnina stayed true to herself and finished the championship at the top of the podium. This is a historic day for MMA in Israel and an emotional moment for Israeli sports as a whole. Congratulations to Pnina, her coaches, the professional staff and the federation for the hard work that led to this gold medal."