Oumar Sy has been making waves in the fighting community even though his debut in the UFC was a bit delayed. According to sources, the 29-year-old light heavyweight contender injured himself in 2023. This led to 4 back-to-back fight cancellations before he finally got a fight against Tuco Tokkos in 2024. And Sy managed to impress Dana White and Company with a first-round finish in his debut fight. 

The strength that he showcased inside the MMA cage further made the fans wonder about his roots. Today, we’re going to find out all there is to know about the light heavyweight contender’s origins. So, without wasting any more time, let’s get right into it!

What is Oumar Sy’s ethnicity and nationality?

Sy is often seen donning the French national flag on his shoulders during his appearances in the MMA cage. To show his love for his country, he even bit down on a blue, white, and red mouthpiece. Needless to say, France is where his allegiance lies. And with an aim to climb higher in the rankings, the Frenchman has already voiced his desire to become the ambassador for the LHW division. According to him, Ciryl Gane and Nassourdine Imavov were already representing France at the heavyweight and middleweight divisions, respectively. But the light heavyweight category still needed a representative. 

Talking about his stance on UFC Paris, Sy said, “I’m the number one in France, I’m very well ranked worldwide. I must represent the light heavyweight (division) for France. Especially in France, they don’t know much about this weight class. They focus a lot on heavyweights because there’s an ambassador (Gane) there. The 185 too, because there’s also an ambassador (Imavov). And, for the 205 division, it’s me. So UFC Paris is the logical next step.”

And he did get a chance to fight at UFC Paris in 2024. He was matched against Da Woon Jung and won the bout via a unanimous decision. Prior to the fight, he addressed the MMA picture in his homeland. Well, the French people were already accustomed to boxing. But MMA is a fairly new sport in the country. That doesn’t mean the MMA picture hasn’t developed in France. It’s just that it’s rapidly evolving. Now that it’s popular, Sy claimed that he became a professional MMA fighter at the right time. He said, “Now that MMA is here, it’s a sport that’s becoming increasingly popular in France. So I had to be there at the right time, and here I am, so it’s perfect for me. Now it’s my turn to perform on Saturday.”

But do you know what religion the French mixed martial artist follows? He hasn’t really been vocal about his religious beliefs. However, there are enough hints on the internet to help us make an educated guess. 

Which religion does Oumar Sy follow?

If we take a look at Sy’s background, he’s actually a French-born fighter with roots lying in West Africa. If we had to take a guess, we’d put his ancestry somewhere in the Senegalese or Malian heritage. This also correlates with his last name – Sy. The name is pretty common among the Fulani, Senegalese, and Malian communities. And based upon this information, we can assume that the light heavyweight contender had a Muslim upbringing. 

But the roots aren’t something that could stop Sy from dreaming. Talking through his manager, Guillaume Peltier, Sy said, “I just take the fights the UFC gives to me and that’s it. I just want to be respected by my fans and my family, stay undefeated and continue to go ahead without any pretension of going fast or taking time.” All he wanted to do was rise to the top of the division as soon as possible. 

Nevertheless, for now, Sy is set to make his community proud by trying his best to defeat Alonzo Menifield at UFC Atlanta. With an 11-fight win streak backing him up, the 29-year-old certainly carries a lot of pressure coming into the Octagon for his 3rd fight. This is the same matchup that was cancelled back in UFC 312 because Sy couldn’t get the medical clearance. 

But can the French light heavyweight extend his undefeated streak at UFC Atlanta? What are your thoughts on Sy’s dreams for the future? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.