Suchika Tariyal Secures India’s Maiden Asian Games Medal in MMA with Bronze

Key facts

• Suchika Tariyal won bronze in the women's traditional -60kg MMA event at the Asian Games 2026, becoming India's first MMA medalist at the Games, after losing the semi-final to Singapore's Teo Hui Hoon.
• The 2026 Asian Games mark the debut of MMA, alongside BMX, teqball, padel, surfing, and virtual taekwondo.
• Suchika assured a medal by beating Mongolia's Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the quarterfinals.
• Hailing from Rohtak, Haryana, Suchika is an eight-time National Judo Champion, won gold at the 2019 Commonwealth Judo Championships and the 2019 South Asian Games, and narrowly missed a podium finish in the Women's -57kg category at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
• She signed a multi-year contract with BRAVE Combat Federation in the Women's Strawweight division in 2024 and returned to professional MMA at BRAVE CF 92 in Bahrain in December 2024.
• Suchika was appointed as a Head Constable in CISF and later joined the Department of Sports, Haryana, as a Junior Coach.