Malaysia’s first female muslim fighter named Time Next Generation Leader

Time magazine recently launched their Next Generation Leader series, which seeks to introduce young people from around the world who are working hard to make an impact in their respective fields, ranging from business, science, activism, to sports. ONE FC’s Ann Osman was just named to the list.

Osman is Malaysia’s first female Muslim mixed martial arts fighter to compete at a notable level. Malaysia’s newly industrialized market economy ranks third largest in Southeast Asia and 28th largest in the world. Malaysia’s Constitution establishes Islam as the “religion of the Federation” and over 60% of the population is Muslim.

Osman has already had to knock down as many stereotypes as opponents since her professional debut late last year. Along the way she has been very publicly showing that Muslim women in Malaysia do not have to be docile in a country where conservative, religious norms often force women into traditional roles and where religious figures hold increasing sway over society.

Osman says there is nothing un-Islamic about her fighting career. We don’t believe religion should stop us. Islam teaches us to work hard, says Osman. I may not be the perfect Muslim woman, but I hope to inspire others.

Osman participated in ONE FC’s second female bout in late 2013, when only a handful of women had signed with the company. Twelve months later, there are 15 women on contract.

Lim Yeow Chet, who runs an MMA gym in Malaysia’s capital, says he had no female clients one year ago. Now he coaches more than 30 women, including some Muslims—and it’s all because of Osman. They say, ‘I want to be like her,’ Lim explains. She’s actually opening up the horizon for women in Malaysia and Asia.

Osman says she first learned to square up to tough challenges from her mother. In the late 1980s, the matriarch of the Osman clan took her three toddler-aged daughters in tow to the U.S., where she studied at Southern Illinois University. Life wasn’t easy, as her mother balanced a rigorous academic schedule with raising a family far from home, where her husband had stayed to work. I told them in order to be successful you have to really work at it, says Osman’s mother Florence Anthony Tom. You don’t get it from the sky.

The message appears to have stuck.

The key to winning, Ana explains, begins with believing in yourself. Having that right mentality and saying this cage is mine and I’m going to bring home the win.”

Q&A

Adam Ferguson and David Stout: Do you feel any pressure to be a role model?

Ana Osman: I don’t see myself as a role model yet. That’s a big thing. I just hope to inspire other women or even boys, girls and men out there to do what they want to do. Whatever you set your mind you can achieve as long as you put in the commitment and work hard. That’s all that matters.

AF: Many of your fans say they look up to you because you’re confident, fit and can protect yourself. Do you hope to promote self-defense through MMA?

AO: My supporters have told me that I inspire them to defend themselves. Seeing me getting bashed up in the cage and defending myself kind of inspires them in some ways. I had one supporter who said she was in an abusive relationship and seeing me being strong and learning martial arts kind of inspired her to learn self-defense and she actually got out of that abusive relationship. Now, she’s training in one of the best gyms in [Kuala Lumpur]. That’s great. I love hearing stories like that.

AF: Do you believe there’s still discrimination against women in MMA?

AO: To be honest, yes, there’s still some discrimination. Still, at this point even after three fights and being with ONE FC for one year, people still don’t really take women’s MMA that seriously. Some people even comment saying things like: ‘I should just stay in the kitchen.’ But, I tend to just ignore these people because I never let them get into my head and start influencing me. Like they say, haters gonna hate — you can’t just expect everyone to love you.”

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