Yan Xiaonan has had many memorable moments in her nine year UFC career. She was the first Chinese female fighter signed by the promotion. She challenged Zhang Weili for the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship at UFC 300.
However, this weekend’s bout against Denise Gomes at UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song in Shanghai, China, could be a crossroads in the UFC pioneer’s career. Coming off of a loss to Virna Jandiroba last year at UFC 314, Xiaonan desperately needs to take home a win to correct her course in UFC, to once again be in line for a title fight.
Before this week’s big event, Slam Wrestling spoke with Xiaonan though an interpreter about the pressure and significance of fighting on her home turf and what she needs to do to secure that all-important win.
John Powell: Hi, Yan. It’s great to be talking to you today.
Yan Xiaonan: Good to see you too!
John Powell: There are times in a fighter’s career where they reach a crossroads, where they reach a really important place. Do you feel that this weekend is a fight for you in that sense?
Yan Xiaonan: This is definitely important because winning this one, I can go back to the wincolumn, I can get closer to the title shot. It’s a very important fight.
John Powell: Is there anything in particular that you’ve been focusing on in your training in preparation for this fight?
Yan Xiaonan: I have learned some lessons from the last fight. Pretty much every fight, the thing I am focusing on is takedown defense and grappling. So after the last fight, I specifically trained in grappling and wrestling to prevent a takedown from happening. So, that’s the thing. That’s the most important part. I am learning from the last fight.
John Powell: As I have gotten older I’ve learned more patience through maturity and being a father. As a fighter, how have you matured?
Yan Xiaonan: I definitely feel more mature. The most important part is how to win a fight. What are the things I can could use to my advantage to win a fight and that comes through maturity and experience.
John Powell: What do you think this opponent’s biggest threat to you is?
Yan Xiaonan: No matter what, I believe I am ready. I am prepared for anything.
John Powell: We are talking about she’s a younger fighter. What is your strategy?
Yan Xiaonan: No matter if it’s a younger opponent or older opponent, mature opponent, the approach to the fight won’t change because I have lready formed and shaped a style. The style has already been studied. I believe I need to be aggressive. I need this win. I need to go back to the winning column so I definitely will be aggressive. No matter what kind of opponent it is, I need to be myself, fighting my fight. That’s the way I am winning this fight.
John Powell: This fight’s taking place in China. You have a home-court advantage but is there also a lot of pressure on you to be representing your country?
Yan Xiaonan: There is pressure but the more pressure there is, the more motivation there is. The pressure pushes me to win this fight and be hungry for this fight.
John Powell: There’s a lot of Chinese fighters involved in UFC now more than ever before. What has that meant to China itself?
Yan Xiaonan: The situation for the younger fighters is a lot better than when I joined the UFC because nine years before the market was not that good and the technique was not as good. When all of those fighters went abroad they began to learn how to fight MMA style. Before, there weren’t that many skills, so they had to learn by themselves. So the younger generation definitely faces far better circumstances when they enter the MMA world, the UFC world.
John Powell: What would a second title shot mean to your career?
Yan Xiaonan: It would change my life, change my fate. I need a second shot. It is so important to me.
John Powell: Now that you are older, I was wondering what motivates you as a fighter. What keeps you going? What keeps that fire burning inside?
Yan Xiaonan: First of all, I am always training. I am always on the training field so I never feel like my body is getting older, slower or fatigued, anything. At the same time, my mind is getting better. I know how to train cleverly, when the time is to push herself and when it’s better to take a rest. I can now make smarter decisions in the fight and in training.
John Powell: Is there a particular moment or a particular fight during your career that you are most proud of?
Yan Xiaonan: Every victory after every fight when my hand is being raised and that celebration dinner with my coach, I feel super proud. The one that sticks with me the most is my very first fight because it was in Shanghai and I was the first Chinese female fighter to fight in UFC so it’s very special to me.
John Powell: She and others at the time really did open the doors for other Chinese fighters. You must be proud of that.
Yan Xiaonan: I feel proud especially at the fighter hotel when all of the fans have gathered in the lobby, trying to take photos with me. I feel so beloved by them. Spending time with fans makes me feel so proud because the passion, feeling the love from the fans fuels me.
John Powell: How much does the fan support mean in a fight?
Yan Xiaonan: The most special moment is when I hear the Chinese fans use Mandarin to say, “Let’s go,” (“jyaow yo!”). Once I hear that, I get more aggressive. Once I hear that, I want to battle even more. It really lights a fire under me.
John Powell: What has the Sanda style brought to MMA, UFC?
Yan Xiaonan: In China, we have so many fighters training in Sanda. It’s the most popular fighting skill in China. Sanda is actually pretty good for MMA. We are fast, flexible. The side kick, the low kick, what we’re doing is a little different from the other martial arts. I feel like I have paved the road somewhat for Chinese fighters. You could be as good as I am if you’re trained in Sanda.
John Powell: What does it being to MMA that’s different from the other styles?
Yan Xiaonan: The biggest advantage is we are faster and we are more flexible. Now, that’s the advantage.
John Powell: Do you think Western fans really appreciate and understand how much this has influenced MMA over the years?
Yan Xiaonan: Sanda has changed a bit for the MMA world, for the UFC world. After Iused the sidekick really successfully, a lot of people started to use the sidekic and because I am a successful Sanda fighter, there are a lot more Sanda fighters achieving success in the UFC…She’s proud of the Sanda community as a whole.
UFC Fight Night Shanghai is available on Paramount+. The main card starts at 6:00 AM ET (3:00 AM PT) on Saturday.
The featured bouts are:
Bantamweight Main Event: Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong
Women’s Strawweight: Yan Xiaonan vs. Denise Gomes
Bantamweight: Aoriqileng vs. Kai Asakura
Flyweight: Alex Perez vs. Sumudaerji
Light Heavyweight: Liu Ce vs. Levi Rodrigues Jr.
Featherweight: Jack Jenkins vs. Sean Woodson
Flyweight: Bilal Hasan vs. Nilson Rojas
