China’s female MMA stars, from Zhang Weili, UFC champ Rose Namajunas’ predecessor, to One Women’s Strawweight World Champion Xiong Jingnan

Jun 16, 2021

Na Liang, Zhang Weili and Xiong Jingnan – a few of China’s rising MMA stars. Photos: Bellator MMA, AFP, One Championship

Yan Xiaonan started in sanda (Chinese kick-boxing), switched to MMA in 2015, and is now ranked fourth in UFC’s strawweight category

Zhang lost her first pro fight to Meng Bo while Na Liang hails from Shanghai’s UFC Performance Institute and previously fought in Heroine FC and Bellator MMA

The name Zhang Weili will not be unfamiliar to any fan of mixed martial arts (MMA). Nicknamed “Magnum”, 31-year-old Zhang was the first Chinese and East Asian champion in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) history. After the former strawweight champion lost her first professional match in 2013, she went on to propel her career with an exceptional 21-fight winning streak, gaining her fans worldwide.

Despite losing her title to Rose Namajunas at the recent UFC 261, Zhang still inspires MMA enthusiasts all over the world with her fighting spirit, as evidenced by a combined army of 2.5 million fans on her Instagram and Weibo accounts.

Here are four more Chinese female MMA athletes who are making their own mark on the scene, inspiring female athletes in China and beyond.