Suchika Tariyal Wins India's First MMA Medal at Asian Games 2026

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Monday, 21 September 2026

Indian mixed martial artist Suchika Tariyal created history at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Monday, September 21, 2026, by winning bronze in the women’s traditional 60kg category. Her podium finish marks India’s first-ever Asian Games medal in mixed martial arts (MMA), which is making its debut at the continental multi-sport event.

Key Highlights:

• Suchika Tariyal wins bronze in women’s traditional 60kg MMA
• She defeats Mongolia’s world champion Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0
• Tariyal creates history with India’s first Asian Games MMA medal

The 36-year-old secured her place in the semifinals with a decisive 2-0 quarterfinal win over Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa on Sunday. Altanchimeg is the 2025 IMMAF World Champion. Suchika produced a crucial reversal during the bout, taking her opponent to the ground and maintaining control to seal the win.

Reaching the last four guaranteed Suchika at least a bronze medal, as both losing semifinalists receive bronze in the competition. She subsequently faced Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo in the semifinal on Monday. Suchika pushed the contest into an extra round but ultimately lost, ending her campaign with a historic bronze.

The medal caps a multi-discipline combat sports career for Suchika. She previously represented India in judo at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and competed in kurash at the 2023 Asian Games. In 2024, she won a world title in fighting Jiu-Jitsu before returning to professional MMA. She made her MMA debut in 2017 and later signed a multi-fight deal with BRAVE Combat Federation in 2024.

Changes in India's selection process also shaped her route to Aichi-Nagoya. After Jiu-Jitsu was dropped from the Indian contingent, Suchika moved towards the MMA trials. She later competed at the Asian Championships after qualification requirements changed, and her performance there helped her enter the Sports Ministry’s Target Asian Games Group scheme.

Suchika’s grappling ability, tactical defence and resilience were central to her Asian Games campaign. Her achievement also comes as MMA takes its first place on the Asian Games programme, alongside five other debut sports: freestyle BMX, teqball, padel, surfing and virtual taekwondo.

Following her quarterfinal victory, Suchika credited her coaches and family for supporting her career, saying, “This medal means more than my life.” She also highlighted the technical demands of traditional MMA, where certain attacks are restricted, and athletes compete at a largely professional level.

Although her semifinal defeat ended her hopes of reaching the gold-medal contest, Suchika’s bronze establishes a landmark first for Indian MMA. Her performance gives the sport a historic medal at its Asian Games debut and places her name among India’s pioneering athletes in the discipline.