Asian Games: MMA's Varun Sanyal medically unfit after dizziness during weight cut

Varun Sanyal (Photo-X)

New Delhi: India's MMA fighter in 77kg category, Varun Sanyal was ruled out of the Asian Games after being declared medically unfit for the competition at the weigh-in process. The athlete felt dizzy at a sauna for weight cut and passed out at the facility.“While undergoing weight loss, including food and fluid restriction, experienced dizziness, lightheadedness, and muscle cramps 30 minutes after taking a sauna,” said a document assessing his condition.

He was reportedly tended to by a fellow athlete and MMA India president Nikhil Kunder. He was taken to a doctor and then declared medically unfit for competition.Varun is one of the two Indian MMA fighters in India's Asian Games squad and had a challenging integration at the continental competition.

Like many other athletes, he had faced a challenging time with getting a room upon arrival in Japan.The other MMA fighter in the squad -- Suchika Tariyal -- won her quarter-final bout and confirmed a medal for India. She will next take part in the semi-finals of women’s 60kg event.

Who is Varun Sanyal?

A bronze medallist at the Asian championships in China in January 2026, Sanyal had entered as a serious medal prospect in MMA, a discipline that is making its debut at the Asian Games.

Varun is a first-class business management honours graduate from Queen's Mary University of London. His initial interest in combat sports was influenced by WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and TNA (Total Nonstop Action wrestling). A Rocky Balboa fan, Varun’s interest deepened after watching Indian wrestlers Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt succeed at the 2012 London Olympics.“Seeing our Olympians succeed really drew me towards martial arts and eventually towards MMA.

MMA is, in many ways, the most primal form of sport and competition, so I was naturally drawn to it. It’s also a life skill. Learning how to defend yourself, stay calm under pressure and make decisions when you’re under physical threat are incredibly important skills. Having to make decisions under pressure, sometimes with very serious consequences, has been one of the biggest learnings I’ve taken from MMA,” Varun told SAI Media.Varun comes from a distinguished family with a strong intellectual and public-service background. He is the son of Sanjeev Sanyal, noted economist, author and member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, and Smita Barooah. His family also has a significant legacy associated with India’s freedom movement, with his great-granduncle Sachindranath Sanyal being a prominent revolutionary and co-founder of the Hindustan Republican Association.Growing up in Singapore, he participated in cricket, football, athletics, squash and powerlifting before progressing to wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai, and ultimately MMA.“Growing up, I remember my father taking me out to the field and kicking a football around with me. He would take me to play squash, we'd sometimes go on random runs, and he'd make us do exercises together. Even when I was very young, he put me into taekwondo classes, although I wasn't particularly interested in it at the time.

As I grew up, whether it was playing cricket, going to the gym, or getting into powerlifting, he was always very supportive.“MMA took him a little bit of time to come around to, but I can't deny how supportive he's been throughout my journey. When it comes to MMA, he's always discussing it with me and trying to understand the sport a little more. He's supportive in whatever way he can be,” said Varun.Asian Games, feels Varun, will be a gamechanger for the sport in India.

“The pathway has been a little bumpy. I won the MMA SFI Nationals in 2025, which qualified me for the Asian AMMA Championships in January 2026 in China, where I won a bronze medal. That meant I was officially ranked within the Asian system.“At the time, though, it wasn't particularly clear who had qualified for the Asian Games or what the qualification process was going to look like. There wasn't much clarity from the Asian side about how the qualification process would work.

So rather than sitting around waiting, I decided to focus on my professional career.“Eventually, I received final confirmation that I would be going to the Asian Games just two weeks before the Games themselves. So, obviously, preparing mentally and physically for something of this magnitude in such a short period has been quite a challenge. But I suppose that's part of sport. That's what sport is,” said Varun.