Malaysia’s latest ONE Warrior Series martial artist Roshnee Khaira is determined to leave the fifth live event with nothing but a finish.
The Kuala Lumpur-based athlete is one of two Malaysians who will compete on ONE Warrior Series 5, which takes place in Singapore on Thursday, 25 April.
Before her women’s atomweight showdown against India’s Neha Kashyap, here are six things you should know about Malaysia’s latest mixed martial arts prospect.
#1 It’s Not Khaira, But Doctor Khaira
The 30-year-old plays the dual role of a lifesaver and a martial artist. She has been working as a doctor for seven years, and is currently based in Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s dermatology department. If that sounds familiar, then you may have been thinking about Sabah’s Audreylaura Boniface, who is also a doctor by day and martial artist by night.
#2 She Holds A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt
Khaira’s first martial art was Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She picked up the sport in 2016, training at Monarchy MMA under the watchful eyes of Bruno Barbosa – Agilan Thani and Keanu Subba’s BJJ coach. The atomweight now plies her trade at Gainz MMA in Subang Jaya and MuayFit Petaling Jaya.
#3 Her Martial Arts Idol Is AJ “Pyro” Lias Mansor
The Johor-born athlete cited AJ Lias Mansor as her idol, simply because he created a path for several of Malaysia’s up-and-coming martial arts talents. Besides “Pyro,” she listed Ann “Athena” Osman as her source of inspiration because she broke the barriers women faced in the nation’s martial arts industry.
#4 Khaira Trains Four Hours Per Day
Despite working as a doctor in one of the country’s busiest hospitals, Khaira still manages to dedicate four hours of her day to martial arts. She practices mixed martial arts at MuayFit in Petaling Jaya from 5pm to 7pm, followed by BJJ at Gainz MMA from 8pm to 10pm.
#5 Her Favorite Finishing Move Is The Rear-Naked Choke
During her three years of competing in grappling tournaments throughout Malaysia and Singapore, Khaira has developed a “special love” for the classic rear-naked choke. In fact, she also believes she will leave OWS 5 victorious with her favorite move. Another submission she fancies is the armbar.
#6 She Has Been An Athlete Since Her Childhood
Although her martial arts journey began slightly later than expected, Khaira has always been an athletic individual. During her teenage days, she played hockey for her state and was also part of her school’s 4 x 400 meters relay team.
