Pro Panja League 2023: Kochi KD beat Kiraak Hyderabad in thrilling finale to clinch trophy in inaugural season

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New Delhi, Aug 13: Kochi KD emerged victorious in a thrilling showdown against Kiraak Hyderabad, with a final score of 30-28. The Pro Panja League's inaugural edition came to a close here at the IGI Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday (August 13).

The grand finale of the Pro Panja League was a star-studded event, graced by Bollywood superstar and entrepreneur Suniel Shetty. Shetty, who recently became a minority stakeholder in the league, witnessed the gripping arm wrestling action alongside esteemed Rajya Sabha MP Shri Rajiv Shukla.

The summit clash remained fiercely competitive throughout, starting with Rudra Naik and Prince Kumar securing victories for Kochi during the Undercard. However, Butta Singh and Savita Kumari fought back for Kiraak by pinning their opponents.

In the main card, Chetna Sharma from Kochi faced off against Madhura KN in an intense 65kg bout. With an impressive performance, Chetna swept her way to victory and put Kochi in the lead.

Hyderabad's Stewe Thomas quickly activated the Challenger Round in his match against Akash Kumar from Kochi during the 70kg bout. His dominant display resulted in a resounding win of 10-0, turning the tables for Kiraak.

However, Yogesh Chaudhary continued to showcase her prowess in Pro Panja League as she activated another Challenger Round against Jincy Jose in their 65kg bout. With yet another commanding victory of 10-0, Kochi regained their lead.

In an enthralling battle between captains Asker Ali (Kiraak) and Prince Dhir (Kochi) during the 80kg bout, both teams strategized relentlessly. Asker successfully activated the second Challenger Round and secured a convincing win of 10-0 to bring Kiraak back into contention.

Siddharth Malakar dominated the 90kg bout, pinning Shaikh Md Abrar to earn five crucial points. However, Mazahir Saidu's outstanding performance resulted in a comprehensive 10-0 victory over Ujjwal Agrawal, leading to a tie-breaker.

Kiraak's Stewe managed to pin Rudra Naik during the tie-breaker, giving Kiraak the initial advantage. Yet, Mazahir retaliated by pinning Asker Ali and levelling the score. Chetna Sharma then secured another vital win by pinning Madhura KN, ultimately propelling Kochi KD into the lead.

Finally, Yogesh Chaudhary defeated Jincy Jose once again to secure victory for Kochi KD and claim the coveted trophy of the Pro Panja League.