Varun Sanyal declared medically unfit, exits Asian Games 2026 quarterfinals
Indian mixed martial artist Varun Sanyal was declared medically unfit and withdrawn from his Asian Games 2026 quarterfinal in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on Sunday, ending his campaign without contesting a fight. He had received a bye into the last eight and was scheduled to meet Bahrain’s Mukhammad Nabiev.
The 23-year-old was the only Indian entered in the men’s traditional 77kg category and one of two MMA athletes in India’s 503-member contingent for the Games, which run from September 19 to October 4 across 35 sports. Sanyal’s rise came quickly: he made his amateur debut in July 2022 and won the Indian National Amateur Championships in 2023. At the IMMAF World Championships he defeated Liam Schulze and Pedro Calembela and lost to Ze Machado, who went on to become world champion, and he took bronze at the Asian Mixed Martial Arts Championship in Luzhou, China despite a staph infection disrupting his preparation.
A post on X by journalist Boria Majumdar provided an account of Sanyal’s condition the night before his scheduled bout: he reportedly spent the evening assisting teammate Suchika Tariyal, then used a sauna to cut weight and passed out at around 1am. A Nepalese athlete found him and helped get him to a doctor, Indian officials rushed to the scene, and Nikhil Kunder, described as the president, was closely involved in the response. The doctor who examined Sanyal declared him unfit to compete.
Sanyal was subsequently taken to hospital, was reported to be stable, but was ruled unable to take part in the quarterfinal against Nabiev. As a result of the medical ruling, he did not step onto the mat for the last-eight contest.
The Indian MMA team still secured a breakthrough result elsewhere: Suchika Tariyal won her quarterfinal in the women’s traditional 60kg category and advanced into the semifinals, a stage that guarantees India a medal in the sport. Sanyal’s withdrawal leaves Tariyal as India’s only remaining MMA competitor at the Games.
India has not previously won a senior Asian Games medal in mixed martial arts; its sole podium finish in the sport came at the Asian Youth Games. Tariyal’s advancement therefore represents the country’s first confirmed senior-level Asian Games medal in MMA.
Sanyal’s recent professional and personal background is documented: in June 2026 he made his pro debut at Warriors Dream Series 17 in Mumbai, defeating Karan Nitin Chauhan by first-round submission in a lightweight bout to move to 1-0. Born to economist Sanjeev Sanyal and raised in Singapore, he first took up MMA during national service, holds a first-class business degree from Queen Mary University of London, and trains at Warriors Cove in Gurgaon and in England.
With Sanyal ruled out, his Asian Games competition is over and Suchika Tariyal will contest a semifinal in the women’s traditional 60kg category, the result of which will determine the colour of the medal India secures in MMA.
