Athletes
UFC 300
Yan Xiaonan : ‘Everything Is A Challenge’
Strawweight Title Challenger Yan Xiaonan Waited A Long Time For This Shot And Wants To Make The Most Of It At UFC 300
Yan Xioanan was itching to fight. After bulldozing Jéssica Andrade to the tune of a first-round knockout, Yan believed a big fight was headed her way. She just didn’t realize how big that next opportunity would actually be.
“I just told the UFC I want a fight and I'm ready,” she told UFC.com. “I didn't expect Zhang Weili. But I think I deserve it because after my last fight, I said I want a title fight.”
And a title fight she got — an all-China affair for the strawweight strap at UFC 300 on April 13. The fight is historic for a multitude of reasons, particularly for Chinese MMA, pitting China’s first champion (Zhang) against China’s first female UFC fighter (Yan).
The bout is undoubtedly the biggest of Yan’s nearly seven years on the roster, but she does have the experience of a five-round fight camp after she headlined against Mackenzie Dern, a fight she won via majority decision. Although her upcoming fight has the highest possible stakes, she is not feeling overwhelmed about it.
MORE UFC 300: Max Holloway Just Wants To Build His Legacy | Justin Gaethje Loves The Unknowns Of Fighting | Aljamain Sterling: This Is What Dreams Are Made Of | Catching Up With Kayla Harrison
“I think it's just a little more stressful,” she said. “I have more desire to win because this fight is very important. It's a title fight.”
Yan was long seen as a contender in the making, but back-to-back losses to Carla Esparza and Marina Rodriguez halted her momentum greatly. Her main event win over Dern gave her the taste of victory for the first time in nearly two years. She looked her best the next time out, and her first-round finish of Andrade earned her first performance bonus.
She also found a home for herself stateside at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California. There, she was able to sharpen her defensive grappling skills, but when it comes to facing the strawweight champion, she believes her edge comes when the two are upright.
WATCH: Jamahal Hill Talks UFC 300 Main Event
“I think my skill set is fast, in-and-out,” she said. “My striking will give me some advantage. Zhang Weili is a more completed fighter. She has good striking, good wrestling, good jiu-jitsu. She is more well-rounded.”
It’s a fair assessment and one that bears true when looking at either woman’s record. Eight of Yan’s 17 professional wins came via knockout and none by submission while Zhang’s boasts a split of 11 knockouts and eight submissions out of 24 wins.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Wherever the fight takes place, what’s certain is the atmosphere in T-Mobile Arena will have historic buzz. As the co-main on one of the most stacked cards in the history of the promotion, Yan and Zhang fight after what should be an electric BMF title fight between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway.
View Xiaonan's Athlete Profile
It’s familiar territory for Zhang, who stole the show at UFC 248 alongside Joanna Jędrzejczyk with one of the best fights in the last decade. While Yan probably hopes to take the belt off her fellow countrywoman in less dramatic fashion, the high placement on a monumental event for the company makes the opportunity all the sweeter.
“I was really happy when I found out that I can be on the UFC 300 card,” Yan said. “This is a very important moment in my life. It's an opportunity I've worked so hard for in MMA. I'm fighting for a title at a big event like UFC 300. It's a big moment for me.”
Rise of Yan Xiaonan
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Rise of Yan Xiaonan
/
The strawweight throne has been nothing short of volatile to defend. While the recently minted Hall of Fame member Jędrzejczyk defended her title five times, no champion has put together back-to-back title defenses since Namajunas unseated her in November 2017. Since then, four women have claimed the title for their own, three becoming two-time champions (Namajunas, Esparza, Zhang).
If any strawweight has the chance to put together a run close to Jędrzejczyk’s, it seems to be Zhang, and oddsmakers currently have “Magnum” as the heavy favorite. History tells us to expect something different than that, but none of that is of any concern to Yan. She is just focused on the task at hand, the golden opportunity in front of her and a life-changing moment in the balance.
“I'm often on the underdog side,” Yan said. “I think everything is a challenge. I need to be ready.”
UFC 300: Pereira vs Hill took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 13, 2024. See the final Prelim and Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
Tags
