From PWL mats to World Championship podiums: Six Pro Wrestling League 2026 stars deliver in Astana

Manisha Bhanwala, Yui Susaki and Anastasiya Alpyeyeva struck gold, while Vazgen Tevanyan and Kajal Dhochak claimed silver and Bilyana Dudova added bronze, underlining the international quality of the PWL’s fifth season.

The Pro Wrestling League’s return in 2026 brought together some of the biggest names in international wrestling, but the performances of six of its participants at the World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, offered a compelling measure of the competition's depth.

Six wrestlers who represented Maharashtra Kesari, Haryana Thunders and Delhi Dangal Warriors during PWL 2026 went on to win senior World Championship medals between October 24 and November 1. India’s Manisha Bhanwala, Japan’s Yui Susaki and Ukraine’s Anastasiya Alpyeyeva captured gold, while Armenia’s Vazgen Tevanyan and India’s Kajal Dhochak finished with silver. Bulgaria’s Bilyana Dudova secured bronze.

Their achievements were spread across different weight categories and wrestling styles, but the common thread was their participation in the PWL season earlier in the year. The league gave Indian audiences an opportunity to watch several international stars compete alongside domestic wrestlers before they returned to the global championship circuit.

Manisha Bhanwala delivered the most historic performance among the six, becoming the first Indian woman to win a senior World Championship gold medal in wrestling. Representing Maharashtra Kesari, Manisha competed in the 57kg category during the PWL season and finished with an impressive 5-1 record. Her performances included a 12-0 victory over Alina Filipovych and a narrow 7-6 win against Neha Sangwan. She also defeated Neha Sangwan 7-6 in Maharashtra Kesari's meeting with Haryana Thunders.

In Astana, Manisha moved to the non-Olympic 59 kg category and produced a remarkable run. Her defining moment came in the final against American Abigail Nette. Trailing 0-6, the Indian mounted a comeback through a series of takedowns and turns to win 8-6. The victory ended India's long wait for a women's senior world champion and established Manisha as one of the country's leading wrestlers. 

Yui Susaki: Haryana Thunders' marquee signing delivers gold

Japan's Yui Susaki arrived in the PWL as one of the biggest international names in the competition. The Tokyo Olympic champion and Paris Olympic bronze medallist represented Haryana Thunders, competing in the 53kg category rather than her international 50kg division.

Susaki finished the league with a 6-1 record. Her performances included a dominant victory by fall over Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, while she also demonstrated her ability to compete against larger opponents in the 53kg category.

At the World Championships, Susaki returned to 50kg and reminded the wrestling world of her exceptional quality. She defeated India's Neelam Sirohi by fall in the final, winning 5-0 and claiming her fifth senior World Championship title. The victory was particularly significant because Neelam had reached the final after an impressive campaign, but Susaki's experience and technical precision proved decisive. 

Ukraine's Anastasiya Alpyeyeva represented Delhi Dangal Warriors in the women's 76kg category. Her PWL campaign included several challenging encounters, particularly against Haryana Thunders' Kajal Dhochak.

Alpyeyeva lost narrowly to Kajal during the league season, including a 1-3 defeat in the PWL Grand Final. However, her experience and ability to make tactical adjustments became evident at the World Championships.

In Astana, Alpyeyeva progressed to the 76 kg final, where she faced Kajal for another meeting between the two wrestlers. This time, the Ukrainian prevailed 8-6 to win gold. The result represented a significant turnaround in their head-to-head rivalry and gave Alpyeyeva her first senior World Championship title. 

Kajal Dhochak: Haryana Thunders' young Indian heavyweight reaches the final

Kajal Dhochak's silver medal was another major highlight for Indian wrestling. Representing Haryana Thunders in the PWL, she competed in the 76kg category and finished the league with a 6-1 record.

Her performances included a victory over Harshita Mor, and she also defeated Alpyeyeva during the PWL season. The rivalry carried into the World Championships, where Kajal produced an impressive run to reach the senior women's 76kg final.

Her semifinal victory over Kyrgyzstan's Aiperi Medet Kyzy was particularly important. After trailing, Kajal fought back to win 10-7 and secure her place in the gold-medal bout. She eventually lost 6-8 to Alpyeyeva, settling for silver but confirming her arrival among the leading wrestlers in the heavyweight division.

Armenian wrestler Vazgen Tevanyan was one of Maharashtra Kesari's key international recruits in the men's 65kg category. He delivered a strong PWL campaign, recording five victories in six bouts, including a win over Mongolia's Tumur-Ochir Tulga.

At the World Championships, Tevanyan navigated a highly competitive 65 kg bracket to reach the final. His run included a narrow semifinal victory over Iran's Rahman Amouzad, demonstrating his ability to manage close contests against elite opposition.

The final brought a difficult challenge against American Bo Bassett. Tevanyan lost 9-1, taking silver after an impressive championship campaign. 

Bilyana Dudova: Maharashtra Kesari's experienced campaigner adds bronze.

Bulgaria's Bilyana Dudova completed the six-medal group with bronze in women's 62 kg. She represented Maharashtra Kesari in the PWL, where her experience and technical ability made her an important part of the franchise's women's lineup.

Dudova finished the league season with three wins and three defeats. At Astana, she advanced to the semifinals before losing 5-2 to eventual silver medallist Adaugo Nwachukwu of the United States. She responded in the bronze-medal bout, defeating Sweden's Johanna Lindborg 5-2. It was another significant podium finish for the Bulgarian, who had previously won the senior world title in 2021. 

The six medal-winning wrestlers represent three different franchises, with Maharashtra Kesari contributing Manisha, Tevanyan and Dudova, Haryana Thunders featuring Susaki and Kajal, and Delhi Dangal Warriors represented by Alpyeyeva.

Their World Championship results underline the quality of the international talent assembled for PWL 2026. The league also offered valuable competitive exposure through matchups between wrestlers who would later meet on the world stage. The repeated encounters between Kajal and Alpyeyeva, in particular, showed how rivalries developed during franchise competition could carry into international championships.

It would be difficult to attribute their World Championship medals to the PWL alone. However, the results demonstrate that the league provided a competitive platform featuring wrestlers capable of challenging for the highest honours in the sport.

For Indian wrestling, Manisha's historic gold and Kajal's silver were especially encouraging. For the PWL, having six participants return from the World Championships with medals is a strong endorsement of the competition's international standing and the calibre of wrestlers it attracted in its 2026 season.