“I hope they earn and deserve it” - Xiong Jing Nan just wants a worthy opponent for her next fight

Chinese ONE world champion Xiong Jing Nan is coming off a massive victory. She defeated atomweight queen Angela Lee at ONE on Prime Video 2 this past weekend, and is now looking ahead to the next defense of her title.

'The Panda' has been on the strawweight throne since 2018, defending the world title in an impressive seven bouts. Despite coming off a major win in her most recent appearance, she already has her sights set on another tussle with a worthy contender.

In an exclusive interview with ONE Championship, Xiong said when asked who is next:

"I wasn’t really thinking about that. I’d rather focus on this fight with Angela. I might take some time to consider who could be next. But now since we are in a new chapter, whoever it is, I hope they earn and deserve it as well."

Xiong has ruled the women's strawweight division with an iron fist since the inaugural world title was introduced. As she said, there are no free title shots for her crown; fighters have to earn it.

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Who could be next for Xiong Jing Nan?

The 34-year-old Chinese athlete began her combat sports career in boxing. She later transitioned her impressive skills to MMA. Xiong Jing Nan's powerful hands translated well to the sport, with over half of her wins being earned via KO/TKO.

Women's strawweight is a busy division in ONE Championship, and some worthy contenders are looking to take the crown from Xiong.

For example, Brazil's Dayane Cardoso is on a six-fight win streak and is coming off a TKO stoppage. Chinese fighter Meng Bo is also potentially just one win away from earning a position opposite the world champion.

The Chinese champion may be preparing for a top contender, but she's also stated that another match against Angela Lee would suit her just fine. In an interview with ONE, Xiong Jing Nan said:

“Only my team and I know what I had to go through to prepare for this fight. Again, the audience here has a different opinion, but look, I’m always prepared. I’m ready for another fight with Angela Lee, whether it’s kickboxing, or it’s MMA. Let’s go. I want to also thank Angela Lee. Thank you for this spectacular match. I really enjoyed fighting this evolved, better version of you.”