Over 250 wrestlers to go under the hammer at PWL auctions

New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Over 250 wrestlers, including Paris Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat, will go under the hammer at the Pro Wrestling League player auction here on Saturday.

India's premier franchise-based professional wrestling league sanctioned by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), is set for a high-profile return to competitive action after a six-year hiatus.

Wrestlers in the PWL 2026 auction pool have been classified into four categories – A+ (Marquee), A, B, and C – based on performance credentials and international standing.

The base prices for these categories have been fixed at 18 lakh for A+ wrestlers, 12 lakh for Category A, 8 lakh for Category B, and 3 lakh for Category C, offering franchises a structured and transparent bidding framework.

The auction pool features a strong mix of elite international competitors and leading Indian wrestlers, including Olympic and World champions and medallists and established stars.

Several high-profile names, including the likes of Japanese women's wrestling legend Yui Susaki, Cuban Paris Olympics silver medallist Yusneylis Guzman Lopez and two-time Olympic medallist Iryna Koliadenko of Ukraine alongside local stars such as Aman Sehrawat and India's youngest ever Olympic woman wrestler and two-time World championship medallist Antim Panghal, find place in the A+ category.

The A category has the likes of Deepak Punia, a world championship silver medallist and former Commonwealth Games champion and recently crowned U-23 world champion Sujeet Kalkal of India along with four-time world championship medallist Arsen Harutyunyan of Armenia, former Asian Games champion and double world championship medallist Tulga of Mongolia and 2025 world championship bronze medalist Robert Baran of Poland, among others.

The league will operate with a total purse of 12 crore for the season, with each of the six franchises allocated 2 crore to build their squads.Teams will compete across nine weight categories, five men's and four women's. Each franchise will be required to assemble a squad comprising a minimum of nine and a maximum of twelve wrestlers, including five men and four women.

Of the total squad strength, four wrestlers must be overseas athletes, two men and two women, ensuring a strong international presence across teams.

In addition, every squad must include at least one wrestler from Category C, a provision designed to promote emerging talent and broaden competitive opportunities.

The Pro Wrestling League will be held from January 15 to February 1. PTI APA KHS