While the mixed martial arts event has made its Asian Games debut in the ongoing Asian Games 2026 in Japan, India has earned its historic first Asian Games medal in this event, as Suchika Tariyal claimed a bronze medal in the women’s traditional 60kg event.
On Monday (21 September), Suchika faced Singaporean Hui Hoon Teo in the Semifinal. A Singaporean athlete beat the Indian by 2-0, as Suchika secured the bronze medal after losing the Semifinal.
Suchika fought hard as the bout moved to overtime but ultimately lost the event. There was a drama at the end of the match as she walked back after the end of the match. She even initially refused to join when the official was getting ready to announce the winner officially, but with the interference of her coach, the Indian MMA participant returned.
Earlier, on Sunday (20 September), Suchika secured India’s first Asian Games medal in this event by defeating Mongolian Altanchimeg Baigalmaa (won by 2-0) in the Quarterfinal.
Who is Suchika Tariyal?
Suchika Tariyal has represented India in judo, kurash, and jujutsu, along with mixed martial arts, which is also known as MMA. In judo, she won the South Asian Games gold medal and the Commonwealth Judo Championships gold medal in 2019. She lost the bronze medal match in judo at the Commonwealth Games 2022. In 2024, she won her first gold medal at the Ju-Jitsu World Championships.
While Suchika made her professional MMA debut in 2017, she won bronze medals at Luzhou and Tashkent in the 2026 Asian Championships.
Before becoming a junior coach for the Government of Haryana's Department of Sports, Suchika was a head constable in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). She was also a contestant in MTV Roadies season 18. Also, in India's Ultimate Warrior on Discovery+, she was one of the warriors.
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