India’s Suchika Tariyal created history by winning the country’s first-ever Asian Games medal in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).
However, her campaign ended in a dramatic fashion after she failed to reach the final of the women’s Traditional 60kg category despite her semifinal against Singapore’s Hui Hoon Teo being declared a draw.
The Indian fighter initially saw the decision go against her, but the Indian camp challenged the result. Following the challenge, the bout was declared a draw after a fresh review. However, a winner still had to be determined to decide who would advance to the final.
That was when the weight-based tie-break rule came into play in the MMA competition.
Why Did Suchika Tariyal Lose Despite The Draw?
According to MMA Sports Federation president Nikhil Kunde, the winner was decided based on the athletes’ official morning weigh-in.
“After the Indian challenge, the result of the bout was declared drawn. The winner was then decided on the basis of the weights of competing athletes according to morning weigh-in,” Kunde told.
“Since, the Singaporean was lighter than Suchika by around 700 grams, she moved to the final. Suchika settled for bronze,” he added.
Reports suggested that Suchika weighed around 59.2kg, while Teo was approximately 58.5kg during the morning weigh-in. With the bout level after the review, the lighter fighter was given the advantage under the applicable competition rules.
What Are The MMA Weight Rules?
The weight rule is not about declaring an athlete overweight or disqualifying them. Both fighters were competing in the same Traditional 60kg category.
Instead, the athletes’ official morning weights can become a deciding factor when a bout remains tied and the applicable tie-break process cannot separate the competitors.
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According to the Asian MMA competition rules, athletes undergo an official pre-competition weigh-in on the day of competition.
In Suchika’s case, the Indian challenge changed the initial result to a draw. With the contest still requiring a winner, the Singaporean camp opted for the weight-based route, and Teo’s lower morning weight gave her the edge.
Suchika Tariyal Wins Historic Bronze
The result was undoubtedly disappointing for Suchika, who was visibly emotional after the decision. However, the 36-year-old Haryana fighter still scripted history by securing India’s first Asian Games medal in MMA, with the sport making its debut at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.