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From ancient forms of combat to modern MMA, China has always been synonymous with martial arts. No other country in the world has had a closer connection to martial arts in pop culture than the People's Republic of China. It's embedded in their nation's rich history and identity.
From the awe-inspiring wirework of Wuxia films to the more grounded and gritty fight scenes of today, Chinese martial arts has had major influence on sports and entertainment, especially mixed martial arts.
Hong Kong-born superstar Bruce Lee, often considered the most influential martial arts master ever, famously transcended his traditional kung fu roots. He created a hybrid approach to combat, combining the best out of different disciplines.
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Because of this, a lot of people credit Lee as the father of mixed martial arts. Ever since he revolutionized the concept of fighting, the world followed suit and decades after he'd passed, MMA was born.
Between Lee's introduction of the concept and the evolution of modern mixed martial arts, however, we have not seen a lot of Chinese fighters on a global stage. That was, until a few years ago. Chinese fighters from different organizations have started making waves in the sport.
From the first Chinese UFC fighter Zhang Tiequan to the first Chinese MMA world champion Xiong Jing Nan to the first Chinese UFC champion Zhang Weili, China is becoming a fighting industry powerhouse in Asia. The UFC even has a USD$13 million Shanghai Performance Institute housing the next generation of Chinese MMA fighters.
Once again, martial arts is coming back home to one of the countries that first popularized it. In the spirit of Chinese New Year, we rank the best MMA fighters from China active today.
#5. MMA pioneer and first-ever Chinese UFC fighter, Tiequan Zhang
Though he's been inactive for almost a decade now, former UFC fighter 'The Mongolian Wolf' Tiequan Zhang isn't officially retired yet. He may not be the best to ever to come out of the country, but Zhang would always be the first to enter the UFC.
With a 14-1 record coming into his UFC debut and an impressive guillotine choke win over Jason Reinhardt, Zhang signified a new wave, not just for China, but for the entire continent of Asia altogether. Zhang's debut showed the potential Asia can present to the sport.
Though it's unlikely that Zhang will make waves in the cage today at 38, he's still doing so outside of it. Currently, 'The Mongolian Wolf' is coaching some of the best UFC fighters today like Li Jingliang and Yan Xiaonan.
#4. UFC bantamweight rising star Song Yadong
Song 'The Kung Fu Monkey' Yadong debuted in the UFC in 2017 and has been on a tear in their bantamweight division. The Chinese fighter has aligned himself with the world-famous Team Alpha Male in California and has compiled a 7-1-1 record in the promotion since.
His last performance was a headkick TKO over Julio Arce back in November 2021. His combination of power and aggression puts him above most 135-pound fighters in the world.
At the moment, Song is ranked No.14 in the UFC bantamweight class and is looking good so far, riding back-to-back wins. We wouldn't be surprised if we see 'The Kung Fu Monkey' break through into the top 10 some time this year.
#3. Former UFC standout and current ONE Championship lightweight Zhang Lipeng
Winner of The Ultimate Fighter: China, Zhang 'The Warrior' Lipeng has been around the game for quite some time now. Having already fought 45 times in his career thus far, the 31-year old former UFC prospect is still very much active today.
His last performance was at ONE: Only The Brave, where he absolutely starched Ruslan Emilbek Uulu with a 3-2 combination from hell:
After leaving the UFC in 2015, Zhang went on an epic 16-fight winning streak in Chinese organization Kunlun Fight MMA. His legendary streak won him both their lightweight and welterweight MMA titles.
Now that he is signed with leading Asian MMA organization ONE Championship, Zhang is primed to make an impact on the world stage yet again. Expect him to make headlines in the months and years to come.
#2. China's first MMA world champion, Xiong Jing Nan
ONE Championship's strawweight world champion 'Panda Bear' Xiong Jing Nan made history by becoming China's first ever MMA world champion. She did so by dispatching Tiffany Teo with her relentless power punching and unbeatable cardio.
It's not just a fluke or a lucky shot. Xiong is a marauder inside the cage. Her unrelenting assault from bell-to-bell overwhelms even the most seasoned of fighters.
Her sixth straight title defense against Ayaka Miura earlier this year was the second most in the promotion's history. So far no one's gotten close to taking Xiong's 125-pound throne and it's hard to see anybody else in the division who could do so.
#1. China's first UFC champion, Zhang Weili
No one can deny the impact 'Magnum' Zhang Weili made in the sport by capturing China's first UFC gold back in 2019.
If Tiequan Zhang's debut started the narrative, Weili's title win acted as the climax of that story. The UFC is one of the best, if not the best, MMA organizations in the world. Even just being included on its roster is a remarkable achievement already.
Weili is a highly-exciting striker with innate power in both hands. Her iron chin also allows her to absorb strikes and fire back right away. Her classic title defense against Joanna Jedrzejczyk is the perfect example of Zhang's combination of striking prowess and granite chin.
Though she's currently No.5 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings, Zhang deserves the No.1 spot in our list.
