Known for producing world-class athletes from Western Mindanao, Zamboanga City has a new name to watch out for.

Muay Thai fighter Rudzmar Abubakar is set to follow in the footsteps of fellow Zamboangueños, Hidilyn Diaz (weightlifting), Mark Barroca (basketball), Eumir Marcial (boxing), and Camille Rodriguez (football) in making the Philippines proud when she represents the country in the 2025 World Games from August 7 to 17, 2025 in Chengdu, China.

The pride of Barangay Pasonanca will showcase her talents at the senior female elite 48 kilogram class.

She qualified in the games following her outstanding performance at the IFMA Senior World Championships 2025 in Antalya, Turkey where she brought home two medals: a gold in the senior female mai muay and a bronze in the senior female elite division.

Abubakar’s path to success was a combination of luck and hard work. 

In 2014, when she was just 14 years old, a regular customer at her grandfather’s small eatery in Zamboanga spotted her. 

“Nakita niya lang ako ta’s sinabi niya sa akin kung gusto ko mag Muay Thai… wala po akong idea są Muay Thai kaya may pinanuod siyang video ng laban,” Abubakar shared with GMA Regional TV News.

“As in zero knowledge ako sa Muay Thai nun kasi yung sports ko lang naman dati basketball kalye lang,” she added.

A year later, Abubakar found her way to a martial arts competition in Manila where no less than the Muaythai Association of the Philippines secretary general invited her to be part of the national team.

“Four months ako nagte-training sa Zamboanga nun. ‘Yung alam ko lang, basta yung Muay Thai may suntok, sipa, elbows, knees, hindi pa talaga ako tinuruan ng mga techniques… kahit natalo ako dun pero doon ako nakitaan ng potential,” she said.

Abubakar then went to Benguet State University (BSU) for college to pursue a degree in exercise and sports sciences. She majored in Fitness and Sports Coaching while having her hands full juggling academics, Muay Thai, and being a varsity basketball player.

“Kapag break ko sa Muay Thai, focused ako sa school tas magte-training ako sa basketball,” the former BSU women’s basketball team center said.

Now, fighting in what she would describe as the biggest competition in her career, so far, Abubakar is at the tail end of her preparations at their training camp in Baguio under coach Edzel Ngina and Zaidi Laruan.

“Almost two months akong nag-training… inaral po namin yung mga specific skills na gagamitin po namin sa laban kasi yung previous na mga nakalaban ko, maglalaro din sila doon,” she said.

“Grabe yung hirap, yung trainings araw-araw, gumising ng maaga, yung katawan mo at mental health pagod,” she added.