bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Agence France-Presse

A hijab-wearing, diminutive Malaysian wrestler known as “Phoenix” cuts an unusual figure in the ring, a female Muslim fighter taking on hulking opponents in a male-dominated world.
Dressed in flame-patterned trousers, a black and orange hijab and top, Nor Diana uses sophisticated moves to throw and pin down her larger rivals in front of hundreds of cheering spectators.
Standing just 155 centimetres (five foot, one inch) tall and weighing 43 kilograms (six stone, 10 pounds), her speed and agility make her a match for almost any opponent.
And far from being criticised by conservatives for throwing herself into wrestling, the 19-year-old has become a hit on social media and spurred the interest of other headscarf-wearing women.
Women investigated for giving up headscarves at ‘de-hijabbing’ event
“Even though I am Muslim, and I wear the hijab, nothing can stop me from doing what I love,” she says after winning a recent fight.
She takes part in local outfit Malaysia Pro Wrestling (MyPW), which has similarities with hugely popular World Wrestling Entertainment from the United States.

Like WWE, the Malaysian version is as much theatre as sport, as participants compete against one another with matches ending in a predetermined outcome.
Nor Diana, a pseudonym as she prefers not to reveal her true identity, seems an unlikely wrestler – outside the ring, she is shy and soft-spoken, and her day job is working in a hospital. But when she puts on her wrestling gear, she transforms into the fearsome Phoenix.
“As Phoenix, I’m a totally different person. She may be small, but she can do things that people cannot imagine,” Nor Diana says from a wrestling gym in Puchong, outside Kuala Lumpur. “When she is in the ring, she is fast and always wants to win.”
Nor Diana first started training as a wrestler in late 2015, following her teenage dream of becoming a fighter, and made her debut a few months later.




More than 60 per cent of Malaysia’s 32 million people are ethnic Malay Muslims and, while the form of Islam followed is generally moderate and tolerant, society can still be conservative.
Many Muslim women in the country wear the traditional headscarf and loose-fitting clothing in line with Islamic requirements for females to dress modestly.
“In the beginning it was always hard for me, because a lot of people said I cannot wrestle because I’m a Muslim and I wear the hijab,” she says.
But she has soldiered on, with her family’s full support, and enjoyed her greatest success so far in early July, defeating four men to be crowned Malaysian wrestling champion.

Initially she competed wearing a mask, to reduce the chances people would recognise her. But after losing a match last year she removed it and has been competing without one ever since.
She remembered being fearful about the reaction – but her popularity has only increased since, with thousands now following her on social media, helping to boost wrestling’s profile in Malaysia.
While it is growing in popularity, wrestling remains relatively small in the Southeast Asian country.
Thailand’s child kick-boxers face deadly fight to escape poverty
There are about 30 fighters and matches take place every two to three months in front of a few hundred supporters. Nor Diana is one of just two women wrestlers.
“As soon as she became popular, we received a lot of messages from fellow hijabis who inquired about joining wrestling as well,” said Ayez Shaukat Fonseka, her coach and fellow fighter. “She kind of broke the barrier and just proved to them that if she can do it, they can do it too.”
Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook


Malaysia’s capture of tiger blamed for 2 deaths highlights conservation dilemma

Philippines jails Abu Sayyaf kidnappers for life over Malaysia resort abductions

Malaysia’s budget surprise on house arrest fuels Najib Razak release speculation

Malaysia braces for ‘once-in-a-generation’ petrol subsidy rollback

Malaysia

Meet Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana, Malaysia's hijab-wearing wrestler pinning down men

Malaysian wrestler Nor Diana holding the Wrestlecon championship belt after winning a match in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AFP

This picture taken on July 10, 2019 shows the hijab-wearing Malaysian wrestler known as Nor "Phoenix" Diana (2nd L) training with male wrestlers in a gym in Kuala Lumpur. - A hijab-wearing, diminutive Malaysian wrestler known as "Phoenix" cuts an unusual figure in the ring, a female Muslim fighter taking on hulking opponents in a male-dominated world. (Photo by Mohd RASFAN / AFP) / TO GO WITH Malaysia-wrestling-religion-Islam, FEATURE by Patrick LEE

This picture taken on July 6, 2019 shows the hijab-wearing Malaysian wrestler known as Nor "Phoenix" Diana (C) wrestling with a male opponent during a match organised by Malaysia Pro Wrestling in Kuala Lumpur. - A hijab-wearing, diminutive Malaysian wrestler known as "Phoenix" cuts an unusual figure in the ring, a female Muslim fighter taking on hulking opponents in a male-dominated world. (Photo by Mohd RASFAN / AFP) / TO GO WITH Malaysia-wrestling-religion-Islam, FEATURE by Patrick LEE

Malaysian wrestler Nor Diana: Photo: AFP

Islamic officials investigate Malaysian women for giving up headscarves at ‘de-hijabbing’ event

Muslim women shop for headscarves at a Ramadan bazaar in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: AP

An imam explains the process of prayer to a visitor at the Crystal Mosque in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia, on Monday, July 23, 2017. With a federal election due within 12 months, Prime Minister Najib Razak's United Malays National Organisation is seeking to burnish its credentials with Muslim voters in the conservative Islamic northeastern state. Photographer: Sanjit Das/Bloomberg

Man who slapped woman for not wearing a hijab in Malaysian viral video has been arrested

The man who was seen slapping a woman at a Penang bus stop in a viral video has been arrested. Photo: Video screengrabs

News

Asia

Southeast Asia

The 19-year-old, who takes part in Malaysia Pro Wrestling, has spurred the interest of other headscarf-wearing women
She enjoyed her greatest success so far in July, defeating four men to be crowned the country’s wrestling champion


The 19-year-old, who takes part in Malaysia Pro Wrestling, has spurred the interest of other headscarf-wearing women.


Women and gender

Religion

Wrestling

Meet Nor ‘Phoenix’ Diana, Malaysia's hijab-wearing wrestler pinning down men

The 19-year-old, who takes part in Malaysia Pro Wrestling, has spurred the interest of other headscarf-wearing women She enjoyed her greatest success so far in July, defeating four men to be crowned the country’s wrestling champion

The 19-year-old, who takes part in Malaysia Pro Wrestling, has spurred the interest of other headscarf-wearing women

She enjoyed her greatest success so far in July, defeating four men to be crowned the country’s wrestling champion