Varun Sanyal pulls out of Asian Games MMA QF on medical grounds
Synopsis
Varun Sanyal's sauna-triggered cramps ended India's Men's -77kg MMA campaign before it began at Nagoya, but Suchika Tariyal salvaged national pride with a 2-0 quarterfinal win to secure India's first-ever Asian Games medal in MMA — a sport making its continental debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Key Takeaways
Varun Sanyal withdrew from the Men's Traditional -77kg MMA quarterfinal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on 20 September due to generalised cramps and body ache.
Sanyal fell ill on Saturday evening while using the sauna on his cruise accommodation; blood tests returned normal but he was not fit to fight.
Bahrain's Mukhammad Nabiev advanced to the semifinals via walkover.
Suchika Tariyal defeated Mongolia's Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the Women's Traditional -60kg QF to secure India's first medal at Aichi-Nagoya.
MMA is among six sports making their Asian Games debut at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games .
India suffered a setback at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sunday, 20 September when mixed martial arts fighter Varun Sanyal withdrew from his Men's Traditional -77kg quarterfinal in Nagoya due to a medical condition, handing a walkover to Bahrain's Mukhammad Nabiev.
What Happened to Sanyal
Sanyal had received a bye in the preliminary round and was scheduled to face Nabiev in the last eight. However, the fighter experienced generalised cramps and body ache on Saturday evening while using the sauna aboard his cruise accommodation. He underwent a medical examination and precautionary blood tests — both of which returned normal results — but woke up the following morning still not fully fit to compete.
After consulting with his coach, Sanyal took the decision to withdraw on medical grounds. Nabiev consequently advanced to the semifinals without a contest.
Sanyal's MMA Journey and Inspiration
A self-described Rocky Balboa fan, Sanyal traced his early interest in combat sports to watching WWE and TNA before the exploits of Indian wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt at the 2012 London Olympics steered him decisively toward MMA.
'Seeing our Olympians succeed really drew me towards martial arts and eventually towards MMA,' Sanyal had said. 'MMA is, in many ways, the most primal form of sport and competition, so I was naturally drawn to it. It's also a life skill. Learning how to defend yourself, stay calm under pressure and make decisions when you're under physical threat are incredibly important skills. Having to make decisions under pressure, sometimes with very serious consequences, has been one of the biggest learnings I've taken from MMA.'
Tariyal Rescues India's Medal Hopes
Even as Sanyal's withdrawal closed one door, Suchika Tariyal opened another. The Indian fighter defeated Mongolia's Altanchimeg Baigalmaa by a 2-0 scoreline in the Women's Traditional -60kg quarterfinal, securing India's first medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Games and becoming the nation's standard-bearer in MMA's Asian Games debut.
Tariyal will next contest a semifinal berth against either Singapore's Hui Hoon Teo or Iran's Arezou Salimighalehtaki, with a place in the gold-medal bout at stake.
MMA Makes Asian Games Debut
MMA is one of six sports making their Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, alongside freestyle BMX, teqball, padel, surfing, and virtual taekwondo. With Tariyal's semifinal qualification secured, India has already guaranteed itself a podium finish in the discipline at its very first appearance on the continental programme — a landmark moment for Indian combat sports.
Point of View
Saunas, and travel fatigue all carry physiological risk that can undo months of training in a single evening. The silver lining is Tariyal's guaranteed medal, which gives Indian MMA a historic moment to build on. With the sport debuting at the Asian Games, this is precisely the window India needed to establish credibility in the discipline — and a quarter-final walkover loss for one athlete should not overshadow a medal locked in by another.
NationPress
20 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Varun Sanyal pull out of the Asian Games MMA quarterfinal?
Varun Sanyal withdrew from the Men's Traditional -77kg quarterfinal in Nagoya on medical grounds after suffering generalised cramps and body ache on Saturday evening while using the sauna aboard his cruise accommodation. Although his blood tests came back normal, he was not fit enough to compete the following morning.
Who was Varun Sanyal scheduled to fight at the Asian Games?
Sanyal was set to face Bahrain's Mukhammad Nabiev in the Men's Traditional -77kg quarterfinal. With Sanyal's withdrawal, Nabiev advanced to the semifinals without a contest.
Did India win any medal in MMA at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games?
Yes. Suchika Tariyal secured India's first-ever medal in MMA at the Asian Games by defeating Mongolia's Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the Women's Traditional -60kg quarterfinal, guaranteeing at least a bronze medal.
What is MMA's significance at the 2026 Asian Games?
MMA is making its Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 alongside five other new sports. India's medal through Suchika Tariyal marks the country's first podium finish in the discipline at the continental showpiece.
What inspired Varun Sanyal to take up MMA?
Sanyal developed his interest in combat sports through WWE and TNA, and was further inspired by watching Indian wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt compete at the 2012 London Olympics. He has described MMA as both a sport and a life skill, particularly for decision-making under pressure.
