Indian mixed martial artist Suchika Tariyal created history at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya after storming into the semifinals of the women’s Traditional MMA 60kg category, assuring India its first-ever medal in the sport at the continental Games.
The 36-year-old defeated Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the quarterfinals on Sunday to secure her place in the last four. Reaching the semifinals guarantees at least a bronze medal, making Tariyal the first Indian athlete to win an Asian Games medal in MMA.
MMA is making its Asian Games debut at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, adding further significance to Tariyal’s achievement.
Tariyal has built an unusual career across multiple combat sports. She represented India in judo at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and competed in kurash at the 2023 Asian Games. She also became a Jiu-Jitsu world champion in 2024 before moving into MMA.
Her journey back to competitive sport came after she had stepped away following a knee injury and other challenges. Friends, including MMA fighters Pooja Tomar and Himanshu Kaushik, encouraged her to give MMA a try, eventually opening a new chapter in her sporting career.
Tariyal also faced financial and administrative hurdles while pursuing opportunities in different combat disciplines. She eventually qualified for the Asian Games MMA competition after competing at Asian-level events and securing results that helped strengthen her case for selection.
??? HISTORY MADE! ???
Ms Suchika Tariyal has assured India a medal at the Asian Games 2026, defeating Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2–0 in the women’s Traditional 60 kg MMA quarterfinal and storming into the semifinals. ??
A landmark moment for Indian MMA, as the sport… pic.twitter.com/pEGsJy4zED
— Sonal Goel IAS ?? (@sonalgoelias) September 20, 2026
Her semifinal is scheduled for Monday, where she will fight for a place in the gold-medal contest. Her opponent will be determined by the quarterfinal between Singapore’s Teoh Hui Hoon and Iran’s Arezou Salimighalehtaki.
With her semifinal berth, Tariyal has already secured a place in Indian sporting history. The veteran fighter will now look to advance further and compete for the top prize in the inaugural Asian Games MMA competition.