Suchika Tariyal Assures India a Medal in Mixed Martial Arts at Asian Games

Veteran combat athlete Suchika Tariyal assured India of a medal in Mixed Martial Arts at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after advancing to the semifinals of the women’s Traditional Mixed Martial Arts 60kg event with a composed 2-0 victory over Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa on Sunday.

The 36-year-old Indian controlled the contest from the outset and secured her place in the last four. With both losing semifinalists awarded bronze medals, Tariyal’s semifinal berth has guaranteed India a medal in the MMA competition.

Tariyal will return to action on Monday, aiming to progress to the final and improve the colour of her medal in a sport making its Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

Her achievement adds another milestone to a career spanning multiple combat disciplines. Tariyal represented India in judo at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and competed in kurash at the 2023 Asian Games. In 2024, she became a Jiu-Jitsu world champion, further establishing her credentials across different forms of combat sport.

Tariyal had earlier stepped away from competitive sport before friends encouraged her to make a comeback. She eventually chose MMA as her next challenge, beginning another demanding phase of her career.

The comeback was not without obstacles. She battled a knee injury and other setbacks while preparing for her MMA debut at the Asian Games. Her perseverance has now paid off with a guaranteed medal on one of the continent’s biggest sporting stages.

Against Baigalmaa, ranked 92nd in the Eurasia region, Tariyal remained composed and produced the decisive performance needed to book her semifinal place.

The medal marks another significant achievement in a career built across several combat sports. With the semifinals still to come, the experienced Indian fighter now has an opportunity to convert her guaranteed bronze into a place in the final and challenge for the gold medal.