Saarika stars as Delhi Dangal Warriors dominate Maharashtra Kesari with a comfortable 6–3 win

Rakesh Thapliyal

Noida: Delhi Dangal Warriors walked away with a comfortable 6–3 win over Maharashtra Kesari in their first match of the Pro Wrestling League 2026 today. 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. The Pro Wrestling League 2026 is being played at the Noida Indoor Stadium from the 15th January – 1st February 2026.

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 takedowns 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 out wrestled 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.

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.

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.

 

Bout Result

Bout 1 | 57kg (Women)

Manisha Bhanvala (Maharashtra Kesari) def. Karla Godinez Gonzalez (Delhi Dangal Warriors) 6–0

Bout 2 | 57kg (Men)

Shubham Kaushik (Delhi Dangal Warriors) def. Atish Thodkar (Maharashtra Kesari) 12–10

Bout 3 | 53kg (Women)

Saarika (Delhi Dangal Warriors) def. Guzman Lopez Yusneylis (Maharashtra Kesari) 7–0

Bout 4 | 62kg (Women)

Dudova Bilyana Zhivkova (Maharashtra Kesari) def. Anjli (Delhi Dangal Warriors) 10–2

Bout 5 | 125kg (Men)

Robert Baran (Maharashtra Kesari) def. Ronak (Delhi Dangal Warriors) 5–0

Bout 6 | 74kg (Men)

Turan Bayramov (Delhi Dangal Warriors) def. Yash (Maharashtra Kesari) 14–10

Bout 7 | 76kg (Women)

Anastasiya Alpyeeva (Delhi Dangal Warriors) def. Harshita Mor (Maharashtra Kesari) by Fall (6–2)

Bout 8 | 86kg (Men)

Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar (Delhi Dangal Warriors) def. Amit (Maharashtra Kesari) 5–3

Bout 9 | 65kg (Men)

Sujeet Kalkal (Delhi Dangal Warriors) def. Tevanyan Vazgen (Maharashtra Kesari) 6–2

About Pro Wrestling League (PWL)

The Pro Wrestling League (PWL) is India’s premier franchise-based professional wrestling league, sanctioned by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Established to bridge the gap between traditional grassroots akhadas and elite international competition, PWL provides a structured, world-class platform for Indian and international wrestlers to compete at the highest level.

Ahead of its fifth season, PWL has undergone a comprehensive restructuring under its new ownership and management, with a renewed focus on transparency, professionalism, and long-term sustainability. Operated by ONO Media and led by partners Akhil Gupta and Dayaan Farooqui, the league is committed to building an athlete-first ecosystem that prioritises development pathways, governance alignment, and competitive integrity. With a clear vision to position India as a global hub for wrestling, PWL combines sporting excellence, regional representation, and modern sports management to transform wrestling into a mainstream, future-ready sport in India.