Delhi Dangal Warriors delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat Maharashtra Kesari 6–3 in their opening match of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Friday. The victory underlined Delhi’s depth across weight categories, with decisive performances in the women’s bouts and composed finishes in the men’s divisions.
Pro Wrestling League 2026: Delhi Dangal Warriors Vs Maharashtra Kesari
Maharashtra Kesari struck first in the women’s 57kg bout as Manisha Bhanvala produced a disciplined display to beat Karla Godinez 6–0, giving her side an early advantage. Delhi responded immediately in the men’s 57kg category, where Shubham Kaushik staged a thrilling comeback to edge past Atish Thodkar 12–10, sealing the win with decisive four-point takedowns during the Power Minute.
The turning point of the tie came in the women’s 53kg contest, where 17-year-old Saarika produced the biggest upset of the day. She defeated Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist Guzman Lopez Yusneylis 7–0 victory.
Delhi continued to assert control in the women’s 62kg category, with Bilyana Dudova overpowering Anjili 10–2 through superior mat awareness and experience. Maharashtra briefly regained the lead in the heavyweight men’s 125kg bout as former European champion Robert Baran outclassed Ronak Dahiya 5–0 in a controlled performance.
In a high-scoring men’s 74kg clash, Delhi’s Turan Bayramov outwrestled Yash 14–10, converting key scrambles into points. The decisive blow came in the women’s 76kg bout, where Anastasiya Alpyeeva secured a swift fall over Harshita Mor, effectively extinguishing Maharashtra’s hopes of a comeback.
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Delhi sealed the tie in the men’s 86kg category as Hadi Vafaeipour Bakhtiar held his nerve to beat Amit 5–3 in a closely fought contest. Captain Sujeet Kalkal then capped off the evening in emphatic fashion, defeating Tevanyan Vazgen 6–2 in the final men’s 65kg bout to confirm Delhi Dangal Warriors’ 6–3 team victory.
Anastasiya Alpyeeva was named Player of the Match for her decisive fall, while Maharashtra Kesari’s Robert Baran received the Fighter of the Match award.
