Noida, Feb 1: In a dramatic semi-final clash at the Noida Indoor Stadium, Delhi Dangal Warriors secured a thrilling 5‑4 victory over Maharashtra Kesari to advance to the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026 final. The win sets up a title showdown against Haryana Thunders on February 1.
Delhi drew first blood as Anjli delivered a commanding 12‑4 win in the 62 kg women’s bout. Maharashtra fought back with a dominating 15‑0 technical superiority victory by Manisha Bhanvala in the 57 kg women’s tie and continued their momentum in the heavyweight clash, where captain Robert Baran defeated Ronak 11‑1. Nishu Bhanvala edged out a 7‑6 win in the 53 kg women’s category to put Maharashtra 3‑1 ahead.
Under pressure, Delhi found a lifeline through Shubham Kaushik in the 57 kg men’s bout, who overcame a sore knee to overturn a big deficit with two stunning four-point moves, winning 11‑10 and keeping Delhi in contention. Anastasiya Alpyeeva’s 7‑5 victory in the 76 kg women’s bout levelled the scores at 3‑3.
Delhi surged ahead when Vafaeipour Hadi Bakhtiar narrowly defeated Amit 11‑9 in the 86 kg bout. The decisive moment came in the 74 kg men’s tie, where Turan Bayramov secured a 5‑5 draw but was declared the winner on the higher technique criterion, giving Delhi their fifth and final victory. The concluding bout was won by forfeit, but the outcome had already been decided.
Shubham Kaushik was named Player of the Match for his sensational comeback, while Manisha Bhanvala earned Fighter of the Match honours for her dominant performance.
The PWL 2026 final between Delhi Dangal Warriors and Haryana Thunders is scheduled for 8:00 PM on February 1 at the Noida Indoor Stadium.