New Delhi, Jan 3 (NationPress) The Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026 witnessed a thrilling auction as India’s U23 World Champion Sujeet Kalkal stood out in the Category A segment, being acquired by Delhi Dangal Warriors for ₹52 lakh. This team was notably active, also bringing in Hadi Vafaeipour from Iran for ₹26 lakh in the men’s 86 kg category, along with Karla Acosta from Mexico in the women’s 57 kg division.

The Haryana Thunders made headlines by securing Olympic medalist Iryna Koliadenko for ₹44 lakh in the women’s 62 kg category, and also added Ashirov Ashraf from Azerbaijan in the men’s 86 kg.

Maharashtra Kesari focused on building a strong team, signing Asian Games medalist Deepak Punia in the men’s 86 kg and Manisha Bhanvala in the women’s 57 kg. Punjab Royals made their mark by signing Dinesh Gulia for ₹36 lakh, Priya Malik for ₹29 lakh, and Roksana Zasina across various weight classes.

UP Dominators added to their roster with Nisha Dahiya in women’s 62 kg at the base price, alongside Rahul Dalal in men’s 57 kg, while the Tigers of Mumbai Dangal did not make any selections in this round.

The auction is still ongoing, with wrestlers categorized into four groups: A+ (Marquee), A, B, and C — with base prices set at ₹18 lakh, ₹12 lakh, ₹8 lakh, and ₹3 lakh respectively. The league operates with a total purse of ₹12 crore, with each of the six franchises allotted ₹2 crore to form teams competing across nine weight categories — five for men and four for women.

In the initial round, there was a significant demand for female wrestlers, with Japan's Yui Susaki receiving a record bid of ₹60 lakh from the Haryana Thunders.

Alongside the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Susaki, World Championship medallist Antim Panghal was acquired by UP Dominators for ₹52 lakh in the women’s 53 kg category, while Puerto Rico’s Ana Godinez attracted a bid of ₹46 lakh from Punjab Royals in the women’s 62 kg division. Delhi Dangal Warriors further bolstered their team by securing Anastasiya Alpayeva from Azerbaijan for ₹27 lakh in the women’s 76 kg category.

All Category A+ wrestlers entered the auction with a base price of ₹18 lakh, with many seeing considerable increases. Notable male signings included Robert Baran from Poland for ₹55 lakh with Maharashtra Kesari and Aman Sehrawat, a bronze medallist from Paris 2024, fetching ₹51 lakh for the Tigers of Mumbai Dangal, indicating a strong demand for seasoned athletes across all weight classes.

Additionally, Delhi Dangal Warriors enhanced their lineup with Turan Bayramov from Azerbaijan, while UP Dominators added reliability with Vasyl Mikhailov and Arman Andreasyan.

The auction process is still ongoing, and wrestlers are classified into four categories: A+ (Marquee), A, B, and C — with base prices at ₹18 lakh, ₹12 lakh, ₹8 lakh, and ₹3 lakh. The league has a total purse of ₹12 crore, with each of the six franchises receiving ₹2 crore to form teams competing across nine weight categories — five for men and four for women.

Each team is required to assemble a squad of nine to twelve wrestlers, including four international competitors (two men and two women), and must include at least one Category C wrestler. As more bidding rounds are anticipated, franchises are expected to continue refining their teams as the PWL 2026 auction unfolds.