KUALA LUMPUR - Themed “Fight Like a Girl”, all-women fitness studio Fitness Champ organised Kuala Lumpur’s first women-only mixed martial arts (MMA) fight on Saturday in celebration of the International Women’s Day to spread the awareness of women empowerment.
Its founder Kal Rejab said the contenders not only fought for the title, but symbolically fought for women who have been victims of abuse, harassment, as well as discrimination.
“Many women out there have not had the chance to voice out and get help or defend themselves. With this event, I want to spread the awareness that women can be independent and strong but we need to support each other.
“One of the reasons for this event is also to give female fighters the opportunity to show off their skills. I reckon that there’s not a lot of platforms like this,” she said.
Kal started Fitness Champ because she wanted to help more women to build self-confidence through physical strength and have the basic ability to defend themselves if they are faced with threats.
The fitness studio also provided a safe space for women to work out without feeling embarrassed or being harassed by men.
The all-women MMA fight consisted of 10 bouts where the contenders were represented from fitness centres nationwide.
The contenders include Sukma athletes, kickboxing coaches, Muay Thai coaches as well as gym members who have been trained in MMA, Muay Thai, and boxing.
Norfa Sakila “Supershots” Rezki Suparman said she was thrilled to be part of the boxing match as it was her first experience.
“When I found out about this event, I knew that I wanted to give my best. So, I will keep going to participate in more fights to improve myself,” said Norfa, who is also a kickboxing coach.
Meanwhile, mother-of-two Alia Amanina “BTK” Mohd Arzmy said practicing Muay Thai has always been her passion.
She would always find time to fit her training in her busy schedule of taking care of her children while assisting her husband’s business at the same time.
“My usual routine is to wake up at dawn for a run. And then I would come home to prepare lunch for my family and help my husband with his business. After that, I would take a break before continuing my training in the afternoon till night.
“I’m very lucky that I have strong support from my husband. Many people looked down on me because I practice Muay Thai and they think that a woman is bound to act a certain way.
“I think it is very important for a woman to have some self-defence skills. We cannot always rely on men to protect us, because there are some who may have the intention to harm us,” said Alia, who is also a Muay Thai Sukma coach in Terengganu.
The highlight of the event was the mixed celebrity bout between Malaysian actress Shiqin Kamal and her fellow comrade Dainah Balqis who were both trained at Fitness Champ fitness studio.
As a first-timer, she was willing to give up job offers to give full commitment towards her training for three months, which bore fruit as she walked away with a win.
“If you ask me, it’s very important for girls and women to have self-defence skills. Nowadays, wherever you go, you have got to always look out for yourself.
“Other than physical strength, I also think that training Muay Thai helps a lot with building my confidence,” Shiqin said.
When asked about her thoughts on the theme “Fight Like a Girl” she said it is “to empower women to be strong. We don’t have to copy men because women have their own strength.”
The up-and-coming actress also explained that it is paramount for young girls and women to have a solid mindset and do their best to overcome negative thoughts in order to become empowered. - The Vibes, March 7, 2022
