Xiaonan Yan Record: 19-5-0

Climbing the strawweight ladder

Yan's Octagon debut came in November 2017, a unanimous-decision win over Kailin Curran at UFC Fight Night 122. She kept the momentum going through 2018 with unanimous-decision victories over Viviane Pereira and Syuri Kondo, then stepped up in competition in June 2019 to outpoint veteran Angela Hill on the UFC 238 card. In February 2020 she handed former title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz a unanimous-decision loss, and that November she added a clean sweep of the scorecards against perennial contender Cláudia Gadelha to push her unbeaten UFC run to six.

Contender, setbacks and resurgence

The win streak ended in May 2021 when former champion Carla Esparza stopped Yan by second-round TKO, and she dropped a split decision to Marina Rodriguez in March 2022. Yan answered with one of the best stretches of her career, grinding out a five-round majority decision over Mackenzie Dern in October 2022 and then producing a signature moment in May 2023 – a first-round knockout of former champion Jéssica Andrade at UFC 288 that vaulted her back into the title picture.

Title challenge

That run earned Yan a championship opportunity on the sport's biggest stage. At UFC 300 in April 2024 she challenged for the strawweight title against compatriot Weili Zhang, ultimately falling short by unanimous decision over five rounds. She rebounded in November 2024 with a unanimous-decision win over Tabatha Ricci before dropping a decision to Virna Jandiroba at UFC 314 in April 2025.

Fighting style

Yan is a volume-first striker whose game is rooted in her sanda background – sharp combinations, varied kicks and a relentless output that wears opponents down over three and five rounds. Her finish breakdown reflects a fighter who can both outpoint and hurt opponents: eight of her 19 wins come by knockout and one by submission, with ten decisions underscoring her cardio and pace. The Andrade knockout proved her power is real, while her best wins show patience and ring generalship. Against the division's elite grapplers and biggest punchers she has occasionally been outmuscled, but her durability and work rate keep her in nearly every fight.

Career highlights

• UFC strawweight title challenger — earned a championship shot against Weili Zhang at UFC 300 after climbing the rankings on the strength of a long unbeaten run.
• Knockout of a former champion — stopped Jéssica Andrade in the first round at UFC 288, a statement finish that re-established her as a top contender.
• Trailblazer for Chinese MMA — recognized as the first Chinese woman signed by the UFC, helping open the door for a generation of fighters from her country.