Noida witnessed an electrifying finale of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026 on Sunday, as Haryana Thunder clinched the championship title by defeating the Delhi Dangal Warriors in a nail-biting finish at the Noida Indoor Stadium.
After eight intense bouts, the score was tied at 4-4, leaving the outcome to be decided in the last women’s 62-kilogram category. Paris Olympic silver medallist Irina Kolyadenko delivered an outstanding performance under pressure, securing a technical victory that sealed a 5-4 win for Haryana Thunder. This final has been hailed as one of the most dramatic in the league’s history.
Haryana Thunder will take home the PWL 2026 trophy along with a prize money of ₹1.5 crore, while the runner-up Delhi Dangal Warriors received ₹75 lakh. Among individual accolades, Turan Bayramov of Delhi Dangal Warriors earned the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award by winning all seven bouts in the 57-kilogram men’s category and accumulating a total of 59 points, earning ₹2.5 lakh. Chandermohan of Punjab Royals was the tournament’s top point scorer.
Neha Sangwan from Haryana Thunder was named ‘Player of the Match’ for her role in keeping the final competitive till the very end. Raunak of Delhi Dangal Warriors received the ‘Fighter of the Match’ honour for his impressive display in the men’s 125-kilogram category. Akshay Dhere of Haryana Thunder was awarded ‘Impact Player of the Match’ for his strong performance in the 57-kilogram men’s division.
The championship began with Delhi taking an early lead as the undefeated Turan Bayramov won the 74-kilogram men’s bout decisively, securing an 8-1 victory. Haryana Thunder quickly responded in the 76-kilogram women’s category where under-20 world champion Kajal Dhochak defeated European champion Anastasia Alpiyeva 3-1 to level the score.
In the 65-kilogram men’s match, momentum shifted when Delhi’s captain Sujit Kalkal made a remarkable comeback to beat world championship silver medallist Tumur Ochir Tulga 8-6. Haryana Thunder answered back with multiple world champion UE Susaki showcasing his skills through a technical win over Sarika, tying the score at 2-2.
Delhi regained the lead in the 86-kilogram men’s bout as Asian Championship bronze medallist Wafaipur Hadi Bakhtiar defeated Ashirov Ashraf 11-0. Haryana again fought back with Akshay Dhere beating Delhi’s Amit Kumar by technical superiority in the 57-kilogram men’s event.
The heavyweight bout proved decisive when Raunak outclassed Aniruddh Gulia 12-2, giving Delhi a 4-3 lead. Haryana Thunder refused to back down, with Neha Sangwan pinning Anjali in the 57-kilogram women’s match to level the score at 4-4.
With the championship at stake, Irina Kolyadenko took the mat in the crucial 62-kilogram women’s bout. Using her experience and calm temperament, the Paris Olympic silver medallist executed a series of turn-and-exposure moves to defeat Anjali by technical superiority with a 16-0 score, clinching the title for Haryana Thunder.
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