PWL 2026: Delhi Dangal Warriors and Haryana Thunders start with a win

Haryana Thunders delivered a dominant all-round performance to outclass Punjab Royals 7–2, asserting control early and never relinquishing momentum in their first match of the season on Friday.

Player of the Match Neha Sangwan delivered one of the standout performances of the tie with a dominant 8–0 victory over Punjab captain Roksana Zasina in the 57kg women’s bout.

Meanwhile, U23 World Champion and Asian Championship Bronze medalist Priya Malik was named Fighter of the Match for her gritty performance in a tightly contested 76kg contest.

Haryana set the tone in the opening bout as Ashirov Ashraf edged past Tariel Gaphrindashvili 6–5 in a tense 86kg contest, using early control and a timely exposure to withstand a late surge.

Punjab briefly drew level through Chandermohan in the 74kg bout, where he produced an authoritative 13–6 win over Parvinder, capitalising heavily during the Power Minute. That proved to be Punjab’s lone moment of parity.

Neha Sangwan immediately swung the tie back in Haryana’s favour with a clinical 8–0 Shutout of Roksana Zasina in the 57kg women’s bout, showcasing complete mat control and relentless scoring.

The advantage widened further when two-time Olympic medalist Iryna Koliadenko dominated Ana Godinez 15–2 in the 62kg category, unleashing a scoring blitz in the second period.

Haryana continued to pile on the pressure as Ankush Chandram controlled Chirag Chhikara for a 5–2 win, before Tumur Ochir Tulga delivered one of the most emphatic performances of the night, overwhelming Islam Guseinov 15–0 by technical superiority in the 65kg bout.

The closest contest of the tie came in the 76kg women’s bout, where Fighter of the Match Priya Malik pushed Kajal Dhochhak to the limit.

With the scores locked at 2–2, Kajal edged the bout on the last point scored to make it 6–1 for Haryana. Punjab pulled one back through Dinesh Dhankar, who defeated Anirudh Gulia 7–3 in the heavyweight clash to make the scoreline 6-2.

However, the final contest of the day between Haryana Thunders’ Yui Susaki and Hanshika Lamba saw the match go to Former Olympic champion, Susaki, by forfeit, helping the Thunders seal a dominant 7–2 victory.

Saarika stars as Delhi Dangal Warriors dominate Maharashtra Kesari

Delhi Dangal Warriors walked away with a comfortable 6–3 win over Maharashtra Kesari in their first match of the day at matchday 2 of Pro Wrestling League 2026.

17-year-old Saarika starred in the biggest upset of the day with a 7-0 win over Paris 2024 Silver medalist Guzman Lopez Yusneylis. Delhi Dangal Warriors, Anastasiya Alpyeeva, was awarded the Player of the Match award, while Maharashtra Kesari’s Robert Baran was awarded the Fighter of the Match Award.

Maharashtra Kesari struck first through Manisha Bhanvala in the 57kg women’s bout with a disciplined 6–0 win to give her side the early lead.

Delhi responded immediately with Shubham Kaushik’s impressive win against Atish Thodkar in the men’s 57kg category. Shubham staged a dramatic comeback in the bout, sealing a 12–10 victory with a decisive four-point takedown in the Power Minute.

Momentum firmly shifted Delhi’s way in the 53kg women’s contest, where 17-year-old Saarika stunned Paris 2024 silver medalist Guzman Lopez Yusneylis with a controlled 7–0 win.

Maharashtra levelled the tie at 2–2 through experienced campaigner Dudova Bilyana Zhivkova, who dominated the second period to defeat Anjli 10–2.

The heavyweight 125kg bout proved pivotal for Maharashtra, as former European champion Robert Baran outclassed Ronak 5–0 to put his team back in front.

However, Delhi showcased depth and resilience from that point onward. Turan Bayramov outwrestled Yash 14–10 in a high-octane 74kg clash, before Anastasiya Alpyeeva swung the tie decisively to Delhi’s favour with a swift fall over Harshita Mor in the 76kg women’s bout.

Delhi sealed the contest in the 86kg men’s category, where Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar held his nerve to beat Amit 5–3. Captain Sujeet Kalkal then capped off a dominant evening for Delhi Dangal Warriors with a composed 6–2 win in the final bout, ensuring a comprehensive 6–3 team victory.

Day three of the Pro Wrestling League will be a double header with the first match to be held between Tiigers of Mumbai vs UP Dominators at 6:30 PM, while the second match will be played between Delhi Dangal Warriors vs Haryana Thunders at 8:00 PM.

All the matches of the Pro Wrestling League are telecast LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 4 and Ten 5. Coverage will also be available for streaming on Sony’s OTT platform, Sony LIV.