That was fast.
Less than a month after getting released by ONE Championship when the promotion shuttered its strawweight division, international phenom Xiong Jingnan will join the UFC roster for the upcoming Macau event on May 30, drawing longtime veteran Angela Hill in “Panda’s” first assignment.
“This is a defining moment in my career,” Jingnan wrote on Instagram. “From the very beginning, my journey with ONE Championship has been about discipline, consistency, and representing Chinese MMA at the highest
level. I’ve faced the best, carried the responsibility of being a world champion, and embraced every challenge that came with it.”
Jingnan has only competed once across the last three years, a unanimous decision victory over Meng Bo as part of the ONE Championship: “ONE Friday Fights 100” card roughly one year back. While Jingnan is 19-2 with double-digit knockout victories, she also turned 38 back in January.
“Now, I’m ready for the next phase,” Jingnan added. “I have officially signed with UFC. This decision wasn’t made lightly. It’s a calculated step forward, an opportunity to compete on the biggest stage in the sport and continue building my legacy as one of the best Chinese MMA fighters in the world. My debut will take place on May 30 in Macau, against a top 14 opponent. To everyone who has supported me on this journey, your trust and loyalty mean everything. I carry that with me into this new chapter. New stage. Same mindset. See you inside the Octagon.”
UFC Macau will be headlined by the bantamweight bout between Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.
