“They both definitely have chances to become champions” - Zhang Lipeng praises chinese fighters Tang Kai and Xie Wei

Zhang Lipeng hopes to leave the Circle next Friday, January 28, with a victory against Ruslan ‘Snow Leopard’ Emilbek Uulu. If he does, it will push him closer towards the ONE lightweight rankings.

The 31-year-old Chinese fighter, nicknamed ‘The Warrior’, is one of several top athletes from his country competing under ONE’s mixed martial arts ruleset.

Ahead of his clash against the Kyrgyzstan fighter at ONE: Only the Brave, Zhang named featherweight star Tang Kai and flyweight prospect Xie Wei as the two Chinese stars that have caught his attention in his short stint in the promotion so far.

He told ONE:

“Tang Kai and Xie Wei have many KOs in a row. Last time, I was on the same card with Xie Wei and I didn't expect him to perform so well. They both definitely have chances to become champions, so fans should keep an eye out for them.”

The Chinese MMA star recognizes a talent when he sees one. 26-year-old Tang has 15 fights under his resume, while 25-year-old Xie has amassed 13 matches since turning professional as a teenager.

Both Chinese stars have a knack for knockouts. Together, they have six wins by KO on the global stage.

Zhang, however, is far more experienced than his fellow peers. The Foshan native has competed 44 times, with 31 wins to his name.

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Could 2022 be a busy year for Zhang and his fellow Chinese superstars?

It is already looking to be an eventful year for Chinese stars who ply their trade at the Singapore-based promotion.

At the recently concluded ONE: Heavy Hitters, China’s first-ever MMA world champion, ‘The Panda’ Xiong Jing Nan, defended her crown for a record sixth time against Ayaka Miura. Meng Bo was another Chinese superstar who competed on that card.

Following her recent title defense, Xiong shared her interest in moving down a division to become the promotion’s first two-division women’s world champion.

Atomweight queen Angela Lee defends her gold against Stamp Fairtex at ONE X on Saturday, March 26. Xiong will definitely want the winner of that match in Q3 or Q4 of 2022.

Meanwhile, Zhang is one of three Chinese fighters competing at ONE: Only the Brave. No. 4-ranked featherweight Tang goes to war versus top-ranked contender Kim Jae Woong and Wang Shuo squares off against Tatsumitsu Wada in a flyweight contest.