Suchika Tariyal Wins Historic Asian Games MMA Bronze

Suchika Tariyal became India’s first Asian Games medallist in mixed martial arts after winning bronze in the women’s traditional 60kg event in Japan. The 36-year-old fighter from Kiloi village in Haryana’s Rohtak district secured a landmark result for the country in MMA, calling the achievement a moment she would never forget.

Tariyal’s semifinal against Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo ended in a draw after a fiercely contested bout. Teo was awarded the semifinal on the basis of her lower weight, leaving Tariyal with bronze. While she fell short of reaching the final, the medal marked a breakthrough for India in the sport at the Asian Games.

Speaking after the bout, an emotional Tariyal said the medal meant more than sport to her. “This is more than my life. I will never forget that I came to Japan and got a medal for my country. I can now happily die,” she said.

A long wait ends with a historic MMA medal

Tariyal arrived at the Asian Games with experience across several combat sports and a strong desire to win a medal for India. She previously competed in judo at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she missed out on a bronze-medal bout. She is also a world champion in Jiu-Jitsu and has represented India at the Asian Games in Kurash, though without winning a medal on that occasion.

Those previous setbacks added to the importance of her MMA bronze. Tariyal said she had worked hard after receiving another chance to represent herself at the Asian Games. “I have played in Commonwealth Games (2022) in judo, where I missed the fight of the bronze. So, I wanted to get a medal for my country, so that people know me,” she said.

Her path has included financial difficulties. Tariyal said she took unpaid leave from her department to train and credited her husband for financial support. She also dedicated the medal to her parents and husband, saying their backing helped bring her to this point.

“Financially, I had a lot of problems,” Tariyal said. “My husband has supported me financially, and she pushed me this far. So, I would like to dedicate this medal to my parents and to my husband.”

Mary Kom remains Tariyal’s inspiration

Tariyal named Olympic bronze medallist and six-time world champion boxer Mary Kom as her sporting idol. She said she had admired Mary Kom since childhood and remembered seeing her while attending a national judo camp in Bhopal around 2009-10.

“I adore Mary Kom didi her since my childhood,” Tariyal said. “She is my idol. I have never talked to her personally. If I get a chance, I would like to talk to her.”

The bronze also changed Tariyal’s immediate plans for her career. She said she had considered retiring from MMA after the Asian Games because of her age, but her performance in Japan has encouraged her to continue competing. Tariyal said she now feels she can carry on and may take part in her next professional fight in Brave.

She also pointed to the absence of a coach with India’s two-fighter MMA contingent, saying coaches had supported the team at their own expense without government assistance. Tariyal felt a coach’s presence could have helped her manage her weight before the semifinal, potentially altering the outcome. Even so, her bronze stands as a first for India in Asian Games MMA and a defining moment in her multi-discipline combat-sports career.