Tariyal wins India's first Asian Games MMA bronze after weight tie-breaker

Indian mixed martial artist Suchika Tariyal won a bronze medal in the women's traditional 60kg event at the 2026 Asian Games, securing the country's first-ever medal in the sport's debut at the continental competition. The historic achievement came after a controversial semifinal bout against Singapore's Hui Hoon Teo that ended in a draw, with Teo advancing to the final based on a weight tie-breaker. The semifinal match on Monday in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, was closely contested. After regulation time and an additional one-minute overtime round, the bout was initially ruled in Teo's favor. The Indian camp challenged the decision, paying a non-refundable arbitration fee. A 10-judge arbitration panel reviewed the footage and changed the result to a draw. However, under competition rules, when fighters cannot be separated after overtime, a series of tie-breakers is applied. After considering other criteria, the final tie-breaker compared the athletes' official morning weights. Teo was approximately 700 grams lighter than Tariyal, allowing her to advance to the gold medal match. Tariyal was awarded the bronze.