Asian Games / Suchika Tariyal Scripts History with India’s First Asian Games Medal in MMA

Nagoya, Sep 21: It’s not that history is written each day — and that too in mixed martial arts (MMA), and especially if India is taken into consideration, it’s almost unheard of. Yet in Aichi-Nagoya, Suchika Tariyal did just that, delivering India’s first Asian Games medal in the sport.

Suchika carved her name into Indian sporting history on Monday, becoming the nation’s first Asian Games medallist in MMA after clinching bronze in the women’s traditional -60kg category.

Her trailblazing campaign ended in the semifinals, where she endured a heartbreaking overtime defeat to Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo. The bout was decided by the narrowest of margins, denying Tariyal a shot at the gold but securing her place on the podium in MMA’s Asian Games debut.

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“The result was a bitter one,” observers noted, as the 36‑year‑old was visibly distraught when the decision was announced.

Tariyal had entered the semifinals on the back of a composed quarterfinal victory over Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa, winning 2‑0 to guarantee India’s first MMA medal at the continental event. Her bronze now stands as a landmark achievement, underscoring India’s arrival in the sport at the Asian Games.

The medal adds to a career already distinguished across multiple combat disciplines. A national‑level judoka, Tariyal represented India at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, reaching the bronze‑medal bout.

She later competed in kurash at the 2023 Asian Games and went on to capture a world title in fighting Jiu‑Jitsu in 2024.

Her MMA journey began with a professional debut in 2017, followed by a seven‑year hiatus as she pursued judo and Jiu‑Jitsu.

Tariyal returned in 2024, signing a multi‑fight deal with BRAVE Combat Federation after overcoming a knee injury and gaining public recognition through her appearance on the reality show Roadies.

With MMA joining freestyle BMX, teqball, padel, surfing, and virtual taekwondo as debut sports in Aichi-Nagoya, Tariyal’s bronze ensures India has made an immediate impact. Her medal will remain a historic first for Indian MMA at the Asian Games.

(IANS)