After representing India in kurash at Hangzhou 2023 suchika tariyal returned for her Asian games ‘’second chance’’ and left aichi Nagoya with an MMA bronze. In judo, kurash, jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts. She secured india’s first medal of the games after beating Mongolia’s altanchimeg baigalmaa 2-0 in the quarter-finals with both losing semi finalist receiving bronze medal victory guaranteed Suchika tariyal a place on the podium. SUCHIKA TARIYAL subsequently faced Singapore’s TEO hui hun in the semi finals. Losing 2-0 to finish with bronze.
The medal particularly significant with MMA making its Asian games dubut. It was suchika tariyal second appearance at continental games having representing India in kurash at Hangzhou 2023. How ever suchika tariyal journey had began in combat sports long time before only. Born on 16 August 1990 and hailing from rohtak Haryana suchika tariyal took up judo at just age of 12 years old only after an accident of harassment she wanted to learn self defence. She began the training at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in new delhi before moving to dev mandir center in Palam. Suchika tariyal later trained at sai Bhopal an important stage in her development as a competitive judoka
Suchika tariyal judo career
Judo became the foundation of suchika tariyal’s sporting career. She represented India at more than 20 international judo competition and became eight time national champion her international success incuded gold medals at the 2019 commonwealth judo championships and 2019 south Asian games, having previously won silver at the 2018 commonwealth judo championships. Suchika tariyal also competed at multiple Asian judo championships and represented india in the women’s 57 (kg) kilo grams category at the commonwealth games 2022 in Birmingham. Her experience in judo particularly in grappling and ground fighting would eventually would eventually provide the base for a move into other combat disciplaines
Meet Suchika tariyal India’s combat sports veteran turned Asian Games MMA Medallist
Seven years while continuing to compete in judo and jiu- jitsu ‘’judo set me up for MMA which for me is the ultimate level of combat sports because of judo I was skilful in ground fighting and grappling I only had to learn about standing game and striking skills for MMA. She returned to professional MMA in 2024 signing a multi fight deal with brave Combat federation and winning on her comeback at brave CF-92 in Bahrain that December. Suchika tariyal subsequently won gold at the first two MMA-SFI National championships before taking bronze at the Asian mixed martial arts championships in January and may 2026.
A SECOND CHANCE AT THE ASIAN GAMES
Aichi –Nagoya was not Suchika tariyal first Asian games experience. She had represented INDIA in Kurash at Hangzhou 2023 but returned three years later in a sport in which she had established considerably stronger international credentials. Life has given me a second chance at the Asian games before the competition in Hangzhou it did not go the way she expected because kurash was not Popular in INDIA and her preparation was not adequadethis time I am fully prepared for MMA. Her preparation were backed by the sports Ministry after she was inducted into the target Asian games group (tagg) scheme.
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Earlier in the career suchika tariyal had also developed her judo at SAI BHOPAL having initially trained at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium and klater the dada dev mandir center in Palam that long jouney made finally securing an Asian games medal particularly significant ‘’this medal means a lot to me as me and my coaches had worked very hard to reach this level after securing the bronze the family had spent a lot of money for her and provided every possible support they can to become a good MMA player. Suchika tariyal’s had appeared in MTV roadies aand India’s ultimate warrior on prime video while building a sizeable following on social media platforms alongside competing she has served as head constable with the CISF and later joined haryana’s department of sports as a junior coach.
Written by – Prabhjyot Singh
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