In a pulsating Semi-final 2, Delhi Dangal Warriors stormed into the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026 final after edging past Maharashtra Kesari 5-4 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Friday night.
In a contest that swung dramatically from bout to bout, Delhi held their nerve in crunch moments to seal the narrow win and set up a title clash against Haryana Thunders. Shubham Kaushik was named Player of the Match for his sensational comeback in the 57 kg men’s category that kept Delhi alive at a crucial stage, while Manisha Bhanvala earned Fighter of the Match honours for her dominant showing in the 57 kg women’s bout, as per a PWL press release.
In Photos | #ManishaBhanvala of Maharashtra Kesari registered a dominant 15–0 victory over Canadian grappler #KarlaGodinez of Delhi Dangal Warriors (in blue jersey) in the second semi-final of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026 at the Noida Indoor Stadium today. pic.twitter.com/DfNC4O2Luo
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) January 31, 2026
Delhi drew first blood in the 62 kg women’s contest through Anjli, who delivered a composed and clinical performance against Dudova Bilyana Zhivkova. Blending sharp takedowns with push-outs and a decisive four-point move in the Power Minute, Anjli sealed a convincing 12-4 win to give Delhi the early advantage.
Maharashtra hit back instantly and in emphatic fashion as Manisha Bhanvala overwhelmed Karla Godinez Gonzalez in the 57 kg women’s tie. With relentless takedown-turn combinations, Manisha secured a 15-0 technical superiority victory to bring Maharashtra level.
Momentum then shifted firmly towards Maharashtra in the heavyweight clash, where captain Robert Baran extended his unbeaten run. After conceding an early activity point, Baran took complete control in the second period, especially during the Power Minute, to beat Ronak 11-1 and put Maharashtra in front. The lead grew further in the 53 kg women’s bout, where Nishu Bhanvala edged a thriller against Saarika. A strong first period proved decisive as Maharashtra held on for a tight 7-6 win to go 3-1 up.
In Photos | Saarika of Delhi Dangal Warriors suffered a narrow 6–7 defeat against Nishu of Maharashtra Kesari in the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) in Noida today.#Nishu | #MaharashtraKesari | #Saarika | #WPL | #Noida | #ProWrestlingLeague | #UttarPradesh
~ UNI pic.twitter.com/HNJumyDkRR
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) January 31, 2026
Under pressure, Delhi found a lifeline through Shubham Kaushik in the 57 kg men’s category. Battling a sore knee, Kaushik produced one of the moments of the tournament, overturning a big deficit in the Power Minute with a stunning four-point exposure followed by a four-point takedown to snatch an 11-10 victory.
Delhi then drew level in the 76 kg women’s bout as European champion Anastasiya Alpyeeva showcased her experience against Harshita Mor. After conceding early points, Alpyeeva regrouped with sharp takedowns and push-outs to close out a 7-5 win and make it 3-3.
Delhi surged ahead for the first time since the opener when Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar edged Amit 11-9 in a fiercely fought 86 kg encounter, making the key difference with back-to-back takedowns in the Power Minute.
The defining moment arrived in the 74 kg men’s tie between Turan Bayramov and Yash. Bayramov dominated the opening period to race into a 5-0 lead before Yash mounted a strong comeback in the second period to level it at 5-5. With the bout tied, Bayramov was declared the winner on the higher technique criterion, Delhi’s fifth win that confirmed their place in the final.
The last bout was decided by forfeit, with Tevanyan Vazgen awarded the win, but the outcome was already sealed as Delhi closed the semi-final 5-4.
The PWL 2026 final between Haryana Thunders and Delhi Dangal Warriors will be held on February 1, 2026, at the Noida Indoor Stadium, with the contest set to begin at 8:00 PM.