Osman, Julaton lead the charge for women’s mixed martial arts in Asia
SINGAPORE — Two of the leading lights in women’s mixed martial arts in Asia are facing off on August 29, at the Dubai World Trade Center, and fans all over the world will be tuning in to watch.
The inspiring feats of these two stars, Malaysia’s Ann Osman and Ana Julaton of the Philippines, have captured the attention of male and female fans alike and have made mixed martial arts rapidly gain popularity in Asia.
Julaton was originally scheduled to compete with Irina Mazepa of Russia at ONE FC’s first event in Dubai, but the card has been changed and she will be facing Osman instead.
Pioneers in their own way, both Osman and Julaton have demonstrated that women can compete alongside men in this male-dominated sport.
Since bursting onto the scene in her debut last October Osman, the first female Muslim to compete for a major organization in mixed martial arts, has captivated the hearts and minds of Malaysians everywhere with her infectious and bubbly personality.
She has since become synonymous with mixed martial arts in the country, appearing on magazine covers, newspapers and television shows. She is proud to be a role model for women all over the world, and wants to use the platform to encourage women to chase their dreams.
Osman was an avid outdoor enthusiast prior to her MMA career. She discovered the sport in 2011 and made her professional debut after two years of training.
While Osman has trained extensively in mixed martial arts, her opponent, Julaton, has taken a different route to get to where she is today.
Born in San Francisco to Filipino parents, Julaton earned a black belt in taekwondo and bok fu in her teens, before she discovered boxing at the age of 24. She was labelled a boxing prodigy after winning the San Francisco Golden Gloves, a popular amateur boxing tournament, with just two weeks of training.
She began her professional career in 2007, and won both the WBO and IBA Super Bantamweight championships just eight fights into her career. In 2013, she decided to try her hand in mixed martial arts, and finished her opponent in front of her Filipino fans in Manila.
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