What type of fighter is Yan Xiaonan?

Yan Xiaonan, also known as "Fury," was born on June 16, 1989, in Liaoning, China. She is a pioneering mixed martial artist who is considered to be one of the best contenders in the UFC's strawweight division (115 lbs). Renowned as the first female Chinese fighter to have signed with the UFC, Yan lives up to her reputation as a technical striker with a vibrant and aggressive style of fighting. Training under China Top Team in Beijing, she brings with her a background of Sanda or Chinese kickboxing to add to her arsenal in the MMA.

Yan made her UFC debut on November 25, 2017, against Kailin Curran. Since then she has fought 11 times in the promotion. Some big wins for Yan include those against highly-accomplished fighters like Jessica Andrade, whom Yan defeated via first-round TKO. Another big win came against Mackenzie Dern, whom Yan defeated via majority decision. The biggest moment in Yan's career was when she challenged for the UFC strawweight title on April 14, 2024, at UFC 300, but came up short via a five-round unanimous decision against Zhang Weili. Though coming up short, she is one of the best in her division and her next scheduled fight is against Tabatha Ricci at UFC Fight Night 248 on November 23, 2024.

Yan Xiaonan Fighting Style

Yan “Fury” Xiaonan, a dynamic striker, capitalizes on her speed, precision, and volume to excel inside the octagon. She often looks to break down opponents with sharp combinations and precise counters. While striking with 48 percent accuracy, Yan lands an average of 4.97 significant strikes per minute, making her a high-output fighter who controls the pace of the fight. She's also good on takedown defense, at 62 percent, which allows her to keep the fight standing, where she generally does the best.

Yan's grappling is less emphasized in her game, as evidenced by her lack of attempts to take the fight to the ground. However, she does have a submission win to her name, which came against Luo Xuanzhen back in 2016.

Yan Xiaonan's UFC Record

Heading into UFC Fight Night 248 on November 23, 2024, Yan Xiaonan holds a UFC record of eight wins and three losses (8-3-0). Of her wins in the promotion, seven have come via decisions and only one by knockout.