Inspired by Rocky and WWE, Varun Sanyal ready for historic MMA debut at Asian Games

From watching WWE and TNA to drawing inspiration from the story of Rocky Balboa, Varun Sanyal’s route into mixed martial arts (MMA) has been anything but conventional. Now, the Indian fighter is preparing to make history when MMA makes its Asian Games debut at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

A two-time national champion and bronze medallist at the Asian AMMA Championships in China earlier this year, Varun will represent India in the men’s traditional 77kg category, as MMA makes its first appearance as a medal sport at the continental multi-sport event.

Varun is part of India’s two-member MMA contingent alongside Suchika Tariyal Hooda, who competed in kurash at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and will take part in the women’s 60kg category.

Varun’s fascination with combat sports began through professional wrestling and cinema. WWE and TNA initially caught his attention, while the performances of Indian wrestling stars Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt at the 2012 London Olympics encouraged him to pursue martial arts more seriously.

“Seeing our Olympians succeed really drew me towards martial arts and eventually towards MMA,” Varun told SAI Media.

For Varun, MMA is more than just a competitive sport. He believes the discipline teaches fighters how to remain composed, make decisions under pressure and defend themselves in difficult situations.

“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,” he said.

Growing up in Singapore, Varun was exposed to several sports, including cricket, football, athletics and squash. He later explored powerlifting before moving into wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai, eventually finding his calling in MMA.

His father, economist and author Sanjeev Sanyal, who is a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, has remained a strong source of encouragement throughout his sporting journey.

Varun recalled how his father introduced him to different sporting activities from a young age, including football, squash, running and taekwondo.

While it took his father some time to get used to MMA, Varun said he eventually became deeply involved in understanding and supporting his son’s career.

Varun’s road to Aichi-Nagoya was also complicated by uncertainty over the qualification process.

After winning the MMA SFI Nationals in 2025, he qualified for the Asian AMMA Championships in China. His bronze-medal finish there placed him within the Asian ranking system.

However, with little clarity initially over the Asian Games qualification process, Varun decided to concentrate on his professional career rather than wait for confirmation.

The final confirmation that he would compete at the Asian Games came only two weeks before the event, leaving him with limited time to prepare for the biggest assignment of his career.

“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,” he said.

The introduction of MMA at the Asian Games, according to Varun, could provide a major boost to the sport in India.

He acknowledged that government interest in MMA has increased but believes greater direct support for athletes is still needed. Varun currently receives backing from Raphe mPhibr, among others, which has helped him continue his professional career.

He also praised national federation president Nikhil Kunder and others involved in developing the sport, pointing out that many events, training initiatives and athlete expenses have been supported through personal resources.

Varun hopes the growing recognition of MMA eventually translates into stronger institutional support for fighters.

With India sending two athletes to the Asian Games, Varun believes the country has the potential to develop a much deeper MMA talent pool.

The Indian contingent includes two athletes ranked among the top six in Asia, something Varun sees as evidence of the sport’s potential.

“I don’t see why there can’t be more. I don’t see why, eventually, we can’t fill all the weight categories in MMA in the same way that we do in sports like wrestling and boxing,” he said.

For Varun, the Asian Games will therefore represent more than a personal milestone. As MMA makes its debut on one of Asia’s biggest sporting stages, his performance could also help determine how quickly the sport grows in India.