Meng Ding Record: 35-10-0

A finisher's resume

The marquee moments of Ding's run reflect his style. In December 2021, he knocked out the unbeaten Taiyilake Nueraji with a third-round body kick on the JCK circuit, the kind of clinical, fight-ending strike that became his signature. He kept stacking stoppages through 2022 and 2023, headlining cards and stopping rivals in spectacular fashion. The competition stiffened on bigger stages: in August 2024 he ran into Rami Hamed on Dana White's Contender Series and dropped a unanimous decision, a measuring-stick loss against the kind of opponent he would meet at the elite level.

Reaching the UFC

Ding answered that setback the way a power puncher does, returning with a second-round TKO of Mirali Huseynov in late 2025 before finally earning his shot at the sport's biggest promotion. He competes in the UFC welterweight division as one of the most experienced strikers to come out of China, carrying a reputation as a dangerous knockout artist who can end a fight with a single exchange.

Fighting style

Ding is a striker through and through, and the numbers are striking themselves: 28 of his 35 wins have come by knockout, against just 2 submissions and 5 decisions, for an 86 percent finish rate. His Sanda roots show in his kicking arsenal – head kicks, body kicks and crisp punching combinations – and his height and length let him fire from range. The honest trade-off is on the mat: most of his career losses have come by submission or to grapplers who could take him down and neutralize his striking, the clearest test he faces against well-rounded competition.

Career highlights

• Prolific knockout artist — 28 of his 35 wins by knockout, one of the highest finish counts among Chinese MMA exports.
• Knockout of an unbeaten prospect — stopped the previously undefeated Taiyilake Nueraji with a body kick in 2021.
• Battle-tested veteran — reached the UFC after more than 40 professional fights across China's toughest regional promotions.