Suchika Tariyal created history on Monday by winning India’s first-ever medal in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) at the 2026 Asian Games. The 36-year-old Indian fighter secured a bronze medal in the women’s traditional -60kg category after reaching the semi-finals.
Suchika faced Singapore’s Teo Hui Hoon in a closely fought semi-final. The Indian fighter put up a strong challenge and took the contest into overtime, but the judges eventually awarded the bout to her Singaporean opponent. The result left Suchika visibly disappointed.
In an emotional moment after the fight, Suchika initially refused to step onto the stage when the official called both fighters forward to announce the result. She appeared to anticipate the decision. Following encouragement from the Indian coaching staff, she eventually walked onto the stage but returned in tears after the verdict.
Despite the semi-final defeat, Suchika’s bronze marks an important milestone for Indian combat sports. MMA is making its debut at the 2026 Asian Games, alongside several other newly introduced disciplines, including BMX, teqball, padel, surfing and virtual taekwondo.
Suchika had already secured a medal place on Sunday after defeating Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the quarter-final. Her performance ensured that India would have a medal in the inaugural MMA competition at the continental multi-sport event.
Her journey to the Asian Games podium has been far from straightforward. Suchika first made her MMA debut in 2017 but later took a seven-year break from the sport. During that period, she continued competing in judo and Ju-Jitsu and remained active at the national and international levels.
In 2024, she signed a multi-year contract with BRAVE Combat Federation in the women’s Strawweight division. She subsequently returned to professional MMA at BRAVE CF 92 in Bahrain in December 2024.
Born in Rohtak, Haryana, Suchika began her sporting journey at the age of 12. An incident of eve-teasing motivated her to learn judo as a form of self-defence. She gradually developed into an accomplished judoka and went on to represent India in more than 20 international competitions.
She is an eight-time National Judo Champion and has won major international honours, including gold medals at the 2019 Commonwealth Judo Championships and the 2019 South Asian Games.
Suchika also competed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in the women’s -57kg judo category, where she narrowly missed out on a podium finish.
Outside competitive sport, Suchika has also served as a Head Constable with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). She later joined the Department of Sports, Haryana, as a Junior Coach.
Her bronze medal at the Asian Games adds another significant achievement to an already distinguished sporting career and gives India a historic first in MMA at the continental level.
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