RUFC"The Underdog"Kaiwen Li Record: 17-8-0
LightweightRecord17-8-0
Age30
DivisionLightweight · #163
Combat Edge Elo1611
Last fightAug 11 2026
Kaiwen Li has a 17-8-0 professional record and is 30 years old in the Lightweight division, representing K-1 Gym. This profile tracks fight history, UFC stats, ELO rating, record, age, and opponent links.
Last updated Aug 11, 2026 · Combat Edge fight database
Kaiwen Li bio
Personal background
Kaiwen Li, nicknamed "The Underdog," is a Chinese lightweight born October 16, 1995, who hails from Hunan province. One of the more experienced homegrown talents in Chinese MMA, Li trains out of the K-1 Gym and made his name on the international stage early, becoming a regular in Asia's biggest promotion before chasing a path to the sport's premier organization. Standing 5'9", he is a power-punching finisher whose career has been defined by heavy hands and a willingness to take fights anywhere — a profile fitting for a fighter who has spent a decade testing himself against international competition.
Path through Asia's biggest stage
Li turned professional in 2014, debuting with a second-round ground-and-pound finish of Haolan Jietebusibai. He was thrown into deep waters almost immediately, absorbing a couple of early losses on the Chinese circuit before quickly landing on the international stage with ONE Championship at the end of that year. He stopped Nannan He with punches in his ONE debut and steadily built a body of work across the promotion, knocking out Nathan Ng and outpointing prospects like Sen Yang. The run was not without speed bumps — a 2016 loss to future ONE champion Martin Nguyen and a 2017 disqualification loss by illegal strikes against Ahmed Mujtaba — but Li kept finding ways to win, including a 2018 knockout of the experienced Emilio Urrutia.
The Road to UFC
After a knockout loss to Fabricio de Andrade in late 2021, Li reset his career and entered the Road to UFC tournament, the promotion's pipeline for Asian talent. He opened with a statement, blasting out Kai Lu with punches in the first round in May 2023, then followed with a hard-earned decision over the experienced Kouya Kanda that August to advance deep into the bracket. His run ended in February 2024 against Yizha, a heavily decorated 24-4 fighter, who submitted Li with a first-round armbar — a setback against one of the most accomplished names he had faced.
Fighting style
Li is a striker first and a finisher by instinct. Seven of his 12 wins have come by knockout, with one submission and four decisions filling out a 67 percent finish rate that reflects genuine concussive power, particularly in his hands. His best work tends to come early, with several of his knockouts arriving in the opening round. The trade-off is the chin-and-grappling vulnerability that has shown up against elite opposition: three of his losses are by knockout and one by submission, including the armbar finish against Yizha, suggesting a fighter who lives and occasionally dies by the high-variance, all-action style that earned him his following. At his best, though, Li is a dangerous out who can end any fight with a single exchange.
Career highlights
- Knockout artist — owns seven knockout wins among 12 victories, a 67 percent finish rate built on legitimate power in his hands.
- ONE Championship veteran — competed for years in Asia's premier promotion, with wins over the likes of Emilio Urrutia and Keanu Subba.
- Road to UFC contender — advanced through the Road to UFC tournament with finishes and decision wins before falling to decorated standout Yizha.
Career snapshot
Kaiwen Li career snapshot
EloCombat Edge Elo
1611Solid ratingElo trajectory (last 3 years)
Overall#1427
Featherweight#163of 260 active
Peak1621
Last move+17
Opponent quality1581avg. pre-fight Elo · last 10
Career-high 1621 Elo after defeating Dong Hyun Seo (2025-05-22)
Similar Elo in Featherweight
Recent Elo history
WinArata Mizuno2026-08-11 | KO+17LossRyo Takagi2026-05-09 | KO (Punches)-25WinTatsuya Tomozane2025-12-21 | TKO (Punches and Elbows)+14LossKeiichiro Nakamura2025-08-22 | Decision (Unanimous)-16WinDong Hyun Seo2025-05-22 | TKO (Punches)+11Kaiwen Li quick answers
What is Kaiwen Li's record?
Kaiwen Li's professional MMA record is 17-8-0.
How old is Kaiwen Li?
Kaiwen Li is 30 years old.
What weight class is Kaiwen Li?
Kaiwen Li fights at Lightweight in RUFC.
What gym does Kaiwen Li represent?
Kaiwen Li is associated with K-1 Gym. Combat Edge publishes a gym average once at least 3 active fighters have Elo.
How tall is Kaiwen Li?
Kaiwen Li is 5'9" tall with a 69" reach.
How much does Kaiwen Li weigh?
Kaiwen Li competes at Lightweight, with a most recent weigh-in of 150 lbs.
What is Kaiwen Li's Combat Edge Elo?
Kaiwen Li's Combat Edge Elo is 1611, with a peak Elo of 1621.
How strong is Kaiwen Li's recent opposition?
Kaiwen Li's latest 10 counted opponents averaged 1581 Elo immediately before their fights. This avoids using opponents' later career results with hindsight.
When was Kaiwen Li's last fight?
Kaiwen Li's latest tracked pro fight was against Arata Mizuno at RIZIN 54 on Aug 11 2026.
What is Kaiwen Li's recent form?
Kaiwen Li's recent tracked pro form is W-L-W-L-W over the latest 5 decisive pro results.
How does Kaiwen Li usually win?
Kaiwen Li's 17 recorded wins include 10 knockouts, 1 submissions, and 6 decisions, with 65% ending before the final bell.
10Wins by knockout
1Wins by submission
6Wins by decision
4Loss by knockout
1Loss by submission
2Loss by decision
Kaiwen Li stats
Record : 17 / 8 / 0Significant strikes landed per minute
3.73Fighter3.82UFC lightweight avg
Significant striking accuracy
43%Fighter46%UFC lightweight avg
Significant strikes absorbed per minute
4.72Fighter3.91UFC lightweight avg
Significant strike defenseThe % of opponents strikes that did not land
54%Fighter54%UFC lightweight avg
Average takedowns landed per 15 minutes
1.41Fighter1.69UFC lightweight avg
Takedown accuracy
0%Fighter31%UFC lightweight avg
Takedown defenseThe % of opponents TD attempts that did not land
93%Fighter58%UFC lightweight avg
Average submissions attempted per 15 minutes
0Fighter0.52UFC lightweight avg
Pro fight history
ResultOpponentMethodTimeRoundEventDateFight details
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