Suchika Tariyal reaches Asian Games MMA semifinals in Aichi-Nagoya, guaranteeing India its first MMA medal
Suchika Tariyal booked a place in the women’s traditional -60kg semifinals at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Sunday. The 36-year-old secured at least a bronze after a 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa.
Tariyal’s combat-sport career began after an eve-teasing incident at age 12 prompted her to take up judo; she trained at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the Dada Dev Mandir Centre in Palam and the Sports Authority of India centre in Bhopal. Her family were initially worried about the demands of travelling for competitions, but she went on to represent India at more than 20 international events. Tariyal is an eight-time National Judo Champion and claimed gold at the 2019 Commonwealth Judo Championships and the 2019 South Asian Games, as well as silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Judo Championships. She also competed at multiple Asian Judo Championships and represented India in the women’s -57kg at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Tariyal expanded beyond judo into other combat disciplines, featuring for India in kurash at the 2023 Asian Games before winning gold in the Adults Ju-Jitsu Contact Female -63kg category at the 2024 JJIF Ju-Jitsu World Championships. She first tried mixed martial arts in 2017, recording a win, then paused her MMA career for seven years while pursuing judo and ju-jitsu. She returned to professional MMA late in 2024 after signing a multi-fight contract with BRAVE Combat Federation in the women’s strawweight division and won her comeback bout at BRAVE CF 92 in Bahrain in December 2024.
Outside competition, Tariyal has held roles in public service, having been appointed a Head Constable with the CISF before joining the Department of Sports, Haryana, as a Junior Coach. A knee injury, systemic barriers and personal struggles forced her away from judo and left her contemplating retirement; “I had given up. I thought, ‘Alright, it’s fine, it’s done, this is enough,” Tariyal told HT. She credits Pooja Tomar and ONE Championship fighter Himanshu Kaushik with encouraging her to return to competition.
Administrative changes complicated her path to the 2026 Asian Games: in January the jiu-jitsu team for the Games was scrapped and the selection structure was altered, prompting Tariyal to switch disciplines and enter MMA trials. Eligibility criteria were changed mid-process to require athletes to break into the top six in the Asian rankings, and with no immediate government funding available she paid her own way to the Asian Championships. Her trip yielded two bronze medals, which strengthened her selection case and helped her secure entry into the Target Asian Games scheme as well as support from the MMA-SFI federation.
In Aichi-Nagoya Tariyal produced a 2-0 victory over Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa to reach the last four in the women’s traditional -60kg bracket. Her semifinal opponent will be the winner of the quarterfinal between Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo and Iran’s Arezou Salimighalehtaki, leaving her one win short of the Asian Games final.
Tariyal will face the winner of the Teo–Salimighalehtaki quarterfinal in the semifinal; a victory there would send her into the Asian Games final and change the colour of the medal she has already assured for India.
