GUWAHATI: Suchika Tariyal created history on Monday, September 21, by winning bronze in the women’s traditional 60kg category at the 2026 Asian Games, becoming the first Indian athlete to win an Asian Games medal in mixed martial arts (MMA).
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The 36-year-old combat sports athlete secured the medal after reaching the semi-finals of the event, which is making its Asian Games debut this year.
Tariyal had defeated Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the quarter-finals on Sunday, September 20. The result assured her of a bronze medal, with both losing semi-finalists receiving bronze medals in the event.
In the semi-final on Monday, Tariyal faced Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo. After a closely contested bout that went the distance, Tariyal lost and finished with the bronze medal.
Her achievement marks a significant milestone for Indian MMA, with Tariyal becoming the country’s first Asian Games medallist in the sport.
Tariyal has represented India across several combat sports, including judo, kurash, jiu-jitsu and MMA. She competed in judo at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and later represented India in kurash at the 2023 Asian Games. In 2024, she won a world title in jiu-jitsu before turning her focus to MMA after the sport was added to the Asian Games programme.
At 36, Tariyal's medal adds another chapter to her multi-discipline combat sports career and takes India’s overall medal tally at the 2026 Asian Games to six.