Antim Panghal was picked up for ₹52 lakh by UP Dominators.
| Photo Credit: File photo
A total of 63 wrestlers were snapped up as the six franchises spent in excess of ₹11 crore at the auction for the fifth season of the Pro Wrestling League, which concluded here late on Saturday night.
Japanese great Yui Susaki, a two-time Olympic medallist and a four-time world champion, received the highest bid of ₹60 lakh from Haryana Thunders.
Poland’s Robert Baran was the most expensive buy among the men, as Maharashtra Kesari shelled out ₹55 lakh for his services.
Delhi Dangal Warriors bought Sujeet Kalkal for ₹52 lakh.
| Photo Credit:
File photo: R.V. MOORTHY
Among the Indians in the auction pool, Antim Panghal notably attracted a bid of ₹52 lakh by UP Dominators. Sujeet Kalkal, the reigning 65kg under-23 world champion, went to Delhi Dangal Warriors for the same amount. Paris Olympics bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat was signed by Tigers of Mumbai Dangal for ₹51 lakh.
The tournament, which is resuming after a gap of six years, will be held from January 15 to February 1 at the Noida Indoor Stadium.
The six franchises were allocated ₹2 crore each to build their squads. Teams will compete across nine weight categories — five in the men’s section and four in the women’s section.
“It was heartening to see the deep involvement of the franchises in the bidding process and how well they had done their homework on the wrestlers. Some of the world’s best wrestlers have been roped in,” Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh said.
Published – January 04, 2026 06:06 pm IST
