Noida, Jan 26 (IANS) Punjab Royals produced a dominant opening-half performance to take a 4–1 lead against Maharashtra Kesari at the midway stage of Match 12 of the Pro Wrestling League 2026, being played at the Noida Indoor Stadium in Noida on Monday.

With this being Maharashtra Kesari’s final league-stage fixture and Punjab chasing a crucial win to strengthen their playoff push, the first five bouts saw Punjab combine authority, aggression, and composure to seize control of the tie.

Punjab set the tone in the 53kg women’s category through Meenakshi, who delivered a controlled and disciplined performance against Paris Olympic silver medalist Guzman Lopez Yusneylis. Scoring early takedowns and capitalizing on passivity, Meenakshi denied her opponent any scoring opportunity to secure a 6–0 win. Momentum built further in the 74kg men’s tie as Asian Wrestling Champion Chandermohan overwhelmed Yash with relentless attacks, racing to an 18–0 technical superiority victory.

Maharashtra found a response in the heavyweight category through captain Robert Baran, who relied on experience and mat awareness to defeat Punjab skipper Dinesh Dhankhar 10–1, keeping Kesari in the contest. However, Punjab quickly reasserted control in the 76kg women’s contest, where former U20 and U23 world champion Priya Malik dominated Diksha Malik, scoring decisively before securing a fall inside the first period.

The most competitive contest of the opening half unfolded in the 86kg men’s category. Amit and Sandeep Maan were locked in a tense tactical battle throughout, trading passivity points and takedowns. In a dramatic closing phase, Sandeep edged ahead with a timely takedown and push-out to clinch a narrow 8–7 victory, extending Punjab’s advantage to 4–1 at the halfway mark.

Each league tie features nine bouts across weight categories, showcasing a strong mix of Olympic medallists, world champions, emerging Indian stars, and international competitors signed during the record-breaking PWL 2026 auctions. The final league-stage fixture is scheduled for January 29, with Punjab Royals taking on Delhi Dangal Warriors. Strategic rest days have been scheduled on January 22 and January 24 to ensure athlete recovery and performance consistency.

Team score after five bouts: Maharashtra Kesari 1 – 4 Punjab Royals

On Matchday 11 of PWL 2026, Delhi Dangal Warriors will take on Tiigers of Mumbai Dangals in Noida on Tuesday.

–IANS

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