India’s Varun Sanyal’s Asian Games 2026 campaign came to an unfortunate end before he could step inside the MMA cage after he experienced dizziness and muscle cramps while attempting to make weight for his men’s traditional 77kg quarterfinal in Nagoya.
According to The Indian Express reports, Sanyal experienced lightheadedness and muscle cramps after restricting food and fluids during his weight cut. A medical document stated that the symptoms occurred around 30 minutes after he underwent a sauna session. He was subsequently declared medically unfit and failed to make the required weight.
Sanyal was one of only two Indian MMA fighters competing at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where MMA is making its debut. His withdrawal meant he did not get the opportunity to compete in his scheduled quarterfinal and his Asian Games campaign ended before he could enter the cage.
The setback came after Sanyal had also spoken about the difficulties he faced upon arriving in Nagoya. Having travelled from London to Mumbai before heading to Singapore and Japan, he described spending several hours moving between facilities while trying to sort out accreditation and accommodation issues. The ordeal added to the challenges of preparing for competition.
While Sanyal's campaign ended prematurely, India has already secured a historic MMA medal through Suchika Tariyal Hooda. She defeated Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa 2-0 in the women’s traditional 60kg quarterfinal to reach the semifinals, assuring India its first-ever Asian Games MMA medal as the sport makes its debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
