The present study investigates the role of selected psychological variables-state anxiety, aggression, and mental toughness-in distinguishing high and low-performance judokas within the 66 kg weight category. A purposive sample of sixty male judokas, aged 18–25 years, was drawn from intercollegiate competition levels in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Participants were divided into two groups: high-performance (n=30) and low-performance (n=30). Using reliable and valid tools, the State Anxiety Questionnaire (Spielberger, 1972), Smith’s Aggressive Questionnaire (Smith, 1976), and the Sports Stress Questionnaire (Goldberg, 2004), psychological attributes were assessed. Descriptive statistics and independent sample t-tests analyzed differences between groups. Results revealed that high-performance judokas exhibited significantly higher mental toughness (p<0.001), indicating the pivotal role of resilience and stress management in achieving superior performance. Additionally, state anxiety was significantly higher in the high-performance group (p = 0.047), suggesting that optimal anxiety levels enhance focus and alertness. No significant difference was observed in aggression levels (p = 1.000), implying that controlled aggression may hold greater relevance than overall aggression levels in judo performance. The findings highlight the importance of psychological attributes, particularly mental toughness, in differentiating performance levels among judokas. Coaches and sports psychologists are encouraged to incorporate resilience-building strategies into training regimens to optimize performance. Future research could explore the interaction of psychological variables with fatigue, recovery, and technical skills to develop holistic training frameworks for combat sports athletes.