Suchika Tariyal Misses MMA Final by 700 Grams

Indian MMA fighter Suchika Tariyal made history at the 2026 Asian Games by winning India’s first-ever medal in Mixed Martial Arts. However, her path to the final ended after a 700-gram weight difference.

Tariyal faced Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo in the women’s traditional 60kg semifinal. The closely contested bout remained level after the additional round.

Following an Indian challenge to the initial decision, the bout was reviewed and declared a draw. As a result, the fighters’ morning weigh-in was used under the competition’s tiebreak rule to determine who would advance.

Suchika Tariyal Misses Asian Games MMA Final

Teo was 700 grams lighter than Tariyal at the morning weigh-in. Therefore, she advanced to the final while Tariyal secured the bronze medal.

The result meant that Tariyal missed the chance to fight for gold, even though the semifinal ended in a draw after the review.

Tariyal had reached the semifinal after defeating Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the quarterfinal. With that victory, she secured a medal and moved one win away from the final. However, the narrow semifinal outcome ended her gold-medal hopes while still giving her a historic place on the podium.

Suchika Tariyal Makes Asian Games MMA History

The bronze medal marked a major achievement for Suchika Tariyal. In doing so, she became India’s first-ever Asian Games medallist in Mixed Martial Arts.

The 36-year-old Indian competed in the women’s traditional 60kg category at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. Meanwhile, MMA is making its Asian Games debut at the 2026 edition.

A Historic Bronze for India

The semifinal result was a difficult moment for Tariyal. Nevertheless, her bronze medal remains a landmark achievement for Indian combat sports.

Overall, her historic podium finish gives India its first Asian Games medal in MMA and marks an important moment for the sport in the country.

Content: Shruti Prabhune, Veer Gala
Photo Editing: Niti Ladha
Idea: Veer Gala