Weili cemented her legacy during a wild win over former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk. Only looking at the box score doesn’t come close to painting the picture of the fight. Yes, Jędrzejczyk landed more significant strikes and total strikes in a fight she lost by split decision.

But Jędrzejczyk also appeared like a lead pipe had assaulted her in the octagon. Weili’s heavy punches left Jędrzejczyk with a severely swollen face that made the former champion look like a version of herself from an alternate universe. Anyone who wants an example of what good MMA is, regardless of gender, should watch that fight.

Weili’s celebration was short-lived, however. In her next fight at UFC 261 in April 2021 against Rose Namajunas, Weili lost a stunner after being leveled by a head kick 78 seconds into the fight. She would earn a rematch against Namajunas but lost a narrow split decision.

Weili wouldn’t regain the title until she submitted Carla Esparza at UFC 281. Since recapturing the title, Weili has defended the belt once against Amanda Lemos.

Xiaonan’s Rise is a Bit of a Surprise

During Xiaonan’s early professional days, she stacked up knockout wins over lower-level competition in various promotions. But that spark didn’t carry over to the UFC. Not even a little bit. 

Xiaonan won her first seven UFC fights, all by decision, before losing via TKO to Esparza in May 2021. She followed that fight up with a split-decision loss to Marina Rodriguez, dropping her record to 15-3. However, Xiaonan got the confidence boost she needed when she fought Mackenzie Dern in October 2022.

Dern, a grappling specialist, tried tirelessly to force Xiaonan to the octagon. While Dern put Xiaonan in a few dangerous spots, she held tight and could outpoint Dern. Xiaonan then went out in her next fight and showed she still had power in her hands.

Xiaonan choked many observers by catching Andrade in the first round and finished the fight via KO. Xiaonan is now 15-3 in her career with eight knockouts. Her last knockout before the win over Andrade came back in 2016 against a lower-level opponent. Xiaonan showed she still had power in her hands.

Chinese MMA is Starting to Emerge

China has produced a few ranked fighters over the years. MMAfighting latest news shows Song Yadong is a ranked contender in the bantamweight division. But Weili was the one to break the glass ceiling and bring home a belt.

The fight between Weili and Xiaonan will be a fascinating test for pay-per-view numbers. They likely won’t be headlining the card, but how fans react to the fight between the two may drive opportunities for whoever wins later. The UFC has been willing to allow top women’s fighters to headline cards when the numbers say they should.

Ronda Rousey has topped her share of PPV cards, while Dern has been top-billing on several fight night cards. Weili has already established herself as a star. However, Xioanan must prove she could have power at the division’s top.

UFC 300 Stacked with Former Champions

Barring some injuries or fighters pulling out, it is unlikely that Weili and Xioanan will headline such a big card. Charles Oliveira will fight Arman Tsaruykan at lightweight, Jiří Procházka will take on Aleksandar Rakić at light heavyweight, and Deiveson Figueiredo will fight Cody Garbrandt. Weili and Xiaonan are honored to be a part of the event.

According to the best MMA website, the two women would like to put together a strong enough performance to steal the show.