MuscleBlaze’s documentary on MMA fighter Sonam Zomba inspires the new generation
Times of India | 3 February 2026
Most sports stories today begin after success has already arrived. Brands step in once medals are won, rankings are secured and names start trending. MuscleBlaze seems to be doing the opposite. The fitness nutrition brand has released a short documentary on Indian MMA fighter Sonam Zomba, but the film is not positioned as a celebration of stardom. Instead, it focuses on what happens long before recognition shows up. By choosing to support Sonam at this stage of her career and by investing in telling her story, MuscleBlaze signals a clear shift in how it approaches athlete partnerships.
Rather than spending heavily on celebrity endorsements or visibility driven campaigns, the brand has chosen to put its weight behind real athletes and real journeys. The documentary does not sell a dream. It simply shows what it costs.
Sonam Zomba comes from a small village in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, a place where professional combat sports were never part of the conversation. Her entry into MMA happened during her college years in Guwahati, when she joined a gym almost by chance. At that point, there was no plan and no certainty that this would become her life. The film keeps this part grounded. Training was basic. Support was limited. Her family struggled to understand why she would choose such a difficult and unfamiliar path.
One of the film’s most difficult moments revisits her first professional fight, which ended within minutes due to a serious injury and played on national television. The aftermath was harder. Fear at home, questions from people around her and the growing pressure to quit. The documentary does not linger on drama here. It moves on to what followed, years of training that happened quietly, often without anyone watching.
Sonam continued to train, pay her gym fees with pocket money and recover from multiple injuries. At one point, another knee injury almost ended things for good. Her coach, Bhabanjit, appears repeatedly through this phase, not as a loud motivator but as a steady presence. Together, they rebuild, one fight at a time.
As Sonam returns to competition, first at smaller events and then on recognised platforms like MFN and BFC, the progress feels slow but real. Her win against Jojo Rajkumari becomes a turning point, bringing attention and confidence. The documentary then follows her preparation for the MFN Strawweight title fight, which eventually becomes the biggest moment of her career.
What stands out is what the film does not do. There is no rush to glorify. No background score pushing emotion. No branding interruptions. MuscleBlaze stays largely out of frame. The brand’s role is clear, but it does not demand attention – that choice says a lot. At a time when even large global brands tend to support athletes only after they break through, MuscleBlaze’s approach feels deliberate. It is less about visibility and more about belief. The documentary becomes an extension of that thinking.
Online, the film has found an audience that seems to appreciate this restraint. Viewers have responded to the honesty of the storytelling and the absence of hype. For many, especially young athletes from smaller towns, the journey feels familiar. Not because it is dramatic, but because it is hard.
By backing athletes like Sonam Zomba and choosing to tell their stories without gloss, MuscleBlaze is quietly reshaping what sports sponsorship can look like. The brand is not waiting for success to happen before stepping in. They believe sometimes, support matters most when the outcome is still uncertain.