Suchika Tariyal’s 2‑0 clean‑sheet over Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa in the women’s -60kg quarter‑final sealed India’s first bronze in MMA at the Asian Games. The win also catapulted Tariyal into the semi‑finals, guaranteeing the medal before the last match even began.
The Rohtak native’s path to the podium began with judo, where she clinched eight national titles and a gold at the 2019 Commonwealth Judo Championships. In 2017 she slipped into MMA, then paused for seven years while sharpening her Ju‑Jitsu game—winning gold in the adults Ju‑Jitsu Contact Female -63kg at the 2024 JJIF World Championships—before returning to the cage under the BRAVE Combat Federation banner and topping the scorecard at BRAVE CF 92 in Bahrain.
When asked what drives her, Tariyal said, “I want young women to see that if I can, they can too. MMA gives you a complete package—standing, grappling, striking—so it’s the ultimate self‑defence.” She added, “I’m not chasing medals now; I’m giving 100 per cent for India.”
The bronze marks a historic milestone for Indian martial arts, proving that the country can compete in a sport making its debut at the Games. With the medal secured, Tariyal now shifts focus to the upcoming World MMA Championships, hoping to build on this breakthrough and inspire a new generation of female fighters.