Final-bout heroics seal PWL 2026 glory for Haryana Thunders

Noida: Haryana Thunders were crowned Pro Wrestling League 2026 champions following a nerve-shredding final that went down to the wire against Delhi Dangal Warriors at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Sunday night.

With the teams deadlocked at 4–4 after eight bouts, all eyes turned to the decisive women’s 62kg showdown. Under immense pressure, Paris Olympic silver medalist Iryna Koliadenko rose magnificently, claiming an emphatic technical superiority victory to hand Haryana Thunders a dramatic 5–4 triumph and cap one of the most unforgettable finals in league history.

Haryana Thunders will take home ₹1.5 crore prize money along with the PWL 2026 trophy, while the runner up Delhi Dangal Warriors will receive ₹75 lakh. Among the individual awards, Turan Bayramov of Delhi Dangal Warriors received the Player of the Tournament award worth ₹2.5 lakh for his 7 out of 7 bout wins in the 57 kg men’s category, accumulating a total of 59 points in PWL 2026, while Chandermohan from Punjab Royals was the highest point scorer of the tournament.

Neha Sangwan (Haryana Thunders) won the Player of the Match for keeping the final alive till the last bout, while Ronak (Delhi Dangal Warriors) won Fighter of the Match for his impressive performance in the men's 125 kg category. Impact player of the match was claimed by Akshay Dhere (Haryana Thunders) for her strong performance in the the 57 kg men’s category.

The championship night opened with Delhi drawing first blood through undefeated Turan Bayramov in the 74kg men’s bout, as he raced to an early lead and controlled proceedings for an 8–1 win. Haryana responded immediately in the 76kg women’s category, where U20 World Champion Kajal Dhochack edged past European Champion Anastasiya Alpyeeva 3–1 to level the tie.

Momentum shifted again in the 65kg men’s bout when Delhi captain Sujeet Kalkal produced a stunning late surge to defeat World Championships silver medallist Tumur Ochir Tulga 8–6. Haryana answered through their talisman and multi times world champion Yui Susaki, who showcased her pedigree with a dominant technical superiority win over Saarika to make it 2–2.

Delhi regained the lead in the 86kg men’s bout as Asian Championship bronze medallist Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar overpowered Ashirov Ashraf 11–0, before Haryana struck back strongly through Akshay Dhere, who overwhelmed Delhi’s Amit Kumar by technical superiority in the 57kg men’s contest.

The heavyweight clash then proved pivotal, with Ronak producing a commanding performance to defeat Anirudh Gulia 12–2, putting Delhi 4–3 ahead. Haryana refused to relent, and Neha Sangwan kept the final alive by pinning Anjali in the 57kg women’s bout to level the scores once more at 4–4.

With the championship hanging in the balance, Iryna Koliadenko rose to the occasion in the decisive 62kg women’s bout. Using her experience and composure, the Paris Olympic silver medallist took down Anjli through relentless turn-and-exposure sequences, closing out a 16–0 technical superiority victory to clinch the title for Haryana Thunders and spark celebrations from the Haryana camp.

Haryana Thunders’ title triumph brought the curtain down on a memorable PWL 2026 season, defined by drama, depth, and a final that lived up to its billing in every sense.

Tags : Haryana Thunders, Pro Wrestling League, Iryna Koliadenko, Delhi Dangal Warriors, Neha Sangwan