PWL 2026: Punjab Royals register a crucial victory over Maharashtra Kesari

Ana Godinez delivered an authoritative performance in the decisive 62kg women’s contest to guide Punjab Royals to a crucial 5–4 victory over Maharashtra Kesari in Match 12 of the Pro Wrestling League 2026 at the Noida Indoor Stadium.

After Punjab surged to a 4–1 lead through a dominant opening half, Maharashtra mounted a strong fightback in Bouts 6 and 7 to keep the contest alive. However, Godinez stepped up when it mattered most, sealing Punjab’s fifth win and the full two match points.

With this result, Maharashtra Kesari end their league campaign with three wins from four matches, finishing with six points and 23 bout wins, while Punjab Royals climb to third place with six points from four matches and 18 bout wins.

Priya Malik was named Player of the Match, while Atish Thodkar earned Fighter of the Match honours.

Punjab Royals set the tone in the opening 53kg women’s contest through Meenakshi, who produced a disciplined and controlled display against Paris Olympic silver medallist Guzman Lopez Yusneylis.

Scoring early takedowns and capitalising on passivity, Meenakshi reminded her opponent of space and tempo, closing out a clean 6–0 victory to give Punjab the early lead.

The advantage was doubled emphatically in the 74kg men’s contest, where Asian Wrestling Champion Chandermohan overwhelmed Yash with relentless attacks.

Drawing passivity in the first period, Chandermohan exploded with repeated takedowns and turns across both periods to register an 18–0 technical superiority win.

Maharashtra Kesari responded in the heavyweight tie through captain Robert Baran, who relied on experience and mat awareness to defeat Punjab skipper Dinesh Dhankhar 10–1. Baran confirmed his control with a late takedown, keeping Kesari in the tie.

However, Punjab quickly restored momentum in the 76kg women’s tie, where former U20 and U23 world champion Priya Malik delivered one of the most dominant performances of the night.

Priya struck early with a high-value takedown and multiple turns, forcing a fall inside the first period to push Punjab ahead 3–1.

The most competitive contest of the opening half unfolded in the 86kg men’s bout. Amit and Sandeep Maan were locked in a tense tactical battle, trading passivity points and takedowns.

Confirming his composure under pressure, Sandeep edged ahead in the closing phase with a timely takedown and push-out to secure a narrow 8–7 win and stretch Punjab’s lead to 4–1.

Maharashtra launched their comeback in the 57kg men’s category through Atish Thodkar. In a high-intensity contest, Thodkar controlled key phases with takedowns and turns, managing the closing exchanges smartly to edge Chirag Chhikara 13–10 and reduce the deficit.

The pressure continued in the 57kg women’s contest, where Manisha Bhanvala claimed a tightly fought 2–1 victory over Rajnita Jangra, keeping Maharashtra’s hopes alive heading into the final stretch.

With the tie delicately poised, Ana Godinez delivered the defining moment in the 62kg women’s tie. Godinez dominated proceedings from the outset, controlling the centre mat and transitions while scoring through takedowns, exposures, and a push-out across both periods. Her decisive win over Dudova Bilyana Zhivkova sealed Punjab Royals’ fifth victory and confirmed the match in their favour.

Maharashtra closed the night on a high note through Tevanyan Vazgen in the 65kg men’s category. Vazgen produced a commanding shutout against Anuj Kumar, scoring repeatedly through powerful throws and clean takedowns to register a 12–0 victory. The result, however, was not enough to overturn Punjab’s advantage.

Tomorrow on Matchday 11 of PWL 2026, Delhi Dangal Warriors will take on Tiigers of Mumbai Dangals, with LIVE telecast starting at 8:00 PM on Sony Sports Ten 4 and Ten 5, and streaming available on Sony LIV.