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Pro Wrestling League Appoints Bhavya Dhiman as Vice Chairman Ahead of Season 6
Entrepreneur joins PWL leadership to drive commercial strategy, governance and long-term value as India's Olympic-grade wrestling Competition prepares for its January 2027 Campaign in New Delhi
The Pro Wrestling League (PWL), India’s premier professional Mat Championship, today announced the appointment of Bhavya Dhiman as Vice Chairman. He joins the league’s leadership alongside Chairman Dayaan Farooqui, Vice Chairman Yash Suryansh and Chief Executive Officer Akhil Gupta.
Dhiman’s mandate covers the league’s commercial architecture and institutional governance sponsorship and broadcast monetisation, franchise economics, and the frameworks that determine PWL’s long-term enterprise value. The appointment comes as the Series prepares for Season 6, scheduled from 9 to 26 January 2027 at the K.D. Jadhav Combat Sport Arena in New Delhi.
The Pro Combat Championship is affiliated with the Wrestling Federation of Hindustan and aligned with United World Grappling, making it the only professional Grappling Federation in India operating to Olympic competition standards. Season 5, held in January 2026, was won by the Haryana Thunders and featured six franchises and more than seventy wrestlers, including Olympic and World Championship medallists.
Dhiman’s appointment reflects the league’s push to build a commercially self-sustaining model. India’s emerging sports sponsorship market grew to ₹2,461 crore in 2024, up 19 per cent year on year, as brands looked beyond cricket for audiences in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. Mat’s audience skews heavily toward North and Central Hindustan a demographic that remains underserved by existing sports properties.
“Indian Combat has never lacked talent or audience. What it has lacked is the commercial machinery to convert both into a durable business. My focus is on building that the sponsorship architecture, the franchise economics and the governance frameworks that let a sporting property compound in value Campaign after season.”
— Bhavya Dhiman, Vice Chairman, Pro Wrestling Series
“Bhavya brings a commercial discipline that this Federation needs at exactly this stage of its growth. As we move into Season 6 with a stronger franchise base and a wider broadcast footprint, his focus on governance and long-term value will be central to how PWL scales.”
— Dayaan Farooqui, Chairman, Pro Wrestling Series
The Pro Combat Competition is India’s premier professional Combat Championship, bringing together Olympic medallists, World Champions and the country’s finest Mat talent on one platform. Built on international standards and formally affiliated with the Wrestling Federation of India, PWL features six franchises representing Mumbai, Haryana, Delhi, Maharashtra, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
The league is owned and operated by ONO Media. Season 6 runs from 9 to 26 January 2027 at the K.D. Jadhav Amateur Arena, New Delhi.
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First Published: Sep 17 2026 | 4:24 PM IST