Tag: Yan Xiaonan

UFC Fight Night 211 breakdown: Can Yan Xiaonan stop Mackenzie Dern’s grappling?

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the UFC Fight Night 211 main event between Mackenzie Dern and Yan Xiaonan.

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC Fight Night 211.

Top UFC strawweight contenders [autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag] and [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] clash in the main event as they both look to get one step closer to a title shot. Dern (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) holds the No. 5 spot in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie women’s strawweight rankings, while Xiaonan (15-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is not too far behind at the No. 9 spot.

Will Xiaonan be able to snap a two-fight skid and stifle the high-level grappling of Dern? Or will the BJJ ace make it two wins in a row against top competition at strawweight?

UFC Fight Night 211 takes place Saturday at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The  card airs on ESPN+.

Check out the video above for Tom’s breakdown of the fight and prediction.

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Yan Xiaonan: Grappling is Mackenzie Dern’s ‘only way’ to win UFC Fight Night 211 headliner

Yan Xiaonan thinks she has a clear path to victory in the UFC Fight Night 211 main event against Mackenzie Dern.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] thinks she has a clear path to victory in the UFC Fight Night 211 main event, and it’s keeping off the ground with Mackenzie Dern.

That should come as no surprise given Dern (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) is one of the most decorated grapplers on the UFC roster – female or male – going into Saturday’s strawweight main event with Xiaonan (13-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at the UFC Apex, which streams on ESPN+.

However, Xiaonan is focused on exactly what she needs to do.

“She may do something standing,” Xiaonan told reporters, including MMA Junkie, through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 211 media day. “But it’s just for setup to drag me to the ground, because that is the only way she can win this fight, I believe.”

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The fight represents a big moment for Xiaonan’s career. It’s the first time she’s been placed at the top of the billing in her UFC tenure. With that comes added attention, and for Xiaonan it’s a key opportunity to rebound from back-to-back losses against top contender Marina Rodriguez and current champ Carla Esparza.

“This fight they put me in the main event, so I think UFC, they saw something special in me,” Xiaonan said. “They saw some very high-level things from myself. So that’s why they put me in the main event.

Xiaonan said she’s confident her conditioning will hold up over five rounds against Dern, if needed, and if she can keep sharp on her takedown defense and grappling counters, she expects a smooth night at the office.

The Chinese fighter is absolutely not underestimating Dern, though, and that’s why she’s not putting any energy into where this win would put her in the division.

“I don’t think about the next step or what’s going to happen after this fight yet,” Xiaonan said. “I’m only focused on Saturday night.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 211.

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UFC Fight Night 211 free fight: Yan Xiaonan batters Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Yan Xiaonan’s rise to her first main event at UFC Fight Night 211 included a drubbing of ex-title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz.

[autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] will attempt to return to winning form in the next main event on the UFC schedule.

Xiaonan (13-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is slated to meet Mackenzie Dern (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 211 main event on Oct. 1 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and she seeks a rebound from a current two-fight losing skid.

Prior to dropping back-to-back fights against Marina Rodriguez and Carla Esparza, Xiaonan put together six consecutive victories to begin her UFC tenure.

One of those wins came against former title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz (13-7 MMA, 6-7 UFC), who Xiaonan thoroughly defeated by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 168 on Feb 23, 2020 in Auckland.

The matchup, which was the featured contest on the card in the strawweight division, saw China’s Xiaonan overwhelm her Polish foe in all areas, even picking up a 10-8 round on the scorecards.

The win elevated Xiaonan’s stock in the 115-pound division, and just over two years later she finds herself in a UFC main event for the first time.

Watch the video above to see Xiaonan’s performance against Kowalkiewicz (courtesy of the UFC’s YouTube channel), and check out MMA Junkie’s photo gallery below.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 211.

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UFC free fight: Mackenzie Dern taps out Nina Nunes with first-round armbar

Ahead of her main event matchup with Yan Xiaonan, relive Mackenzie Dern’s finish of Nina Nunes at UFC on ABC 2.

It didn’t take long for [autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag] to take [autotag]Nina Nunes[/autotag] into her world.

Looking to make it four straight wins, Dern welcomed Nunes back to the octagon on the main card of UFC on ABC 2 last April.

Dern rushed Nunes with some hard combinations until she managed to clinch up and stack her against the cage. Nunes broke free, but Dern was able to latch onto a single leg and trip her to the mat. The ADCC champion controlled Nunes in top position and eventually transitioned to an armbar. Nunes fought hard, but once Dern was able to separate her arm, she forced the quick tap from Nunes.

Dern (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) returns to action Oct. 1 when she takes on [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 211, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Before she faces Xiaonan, relive Dern’s finish of Nunes in the video above.

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Manager thinks Mackenzie Dern vs. Yan Xiaonan ‘very close’ to UFC strawweight title eliminator

When the calendar turns to October, Mackenzie Dern and Yan Xiaonan will set off an important trio of fights in the UFC strawweight division.

When the calendar turns to October, [autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag] and [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] will set off an important trio of upcoming fights in the UFC strawweight division.

Dern (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), who is No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings at 115 pounds, and No. 9 Xiaonan (15-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) will headline UFC Fight Night 211 on Oct. 1 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Dern and Xiaonan are Nos. 5 and 6 in the official UFC rankings, which underscores the significance of their matchup.

After that, the fights in the division only get bigger.

At UFC 280 on Oct. 22, No. 3 Marina Rodriguez – who owns wins over Dern and Xiaonan – takes on No. 8 Amanda Lemos at UFC 280. And then there’s the biggest fight happening Nov. 12 at UFC 281 in New York, where champion Carla Esparza will put her title on the line against former champ Zhang Weili.

With Esparza dethroning previous champ Rose Namajunas earlier this year, the strawweight division is in the middle of change. According to Tim Simpson of Paradigm Sports, who manages Dern and Xiaonan, the opportunity to leave a lasting impression is huge after those other two fights play out behind them.

“I think it’s very close to (a title eliminator),” Simpson told MMA Junkie. “(Strawweight) is kind of wide open at the moment, when you have a new champion. It’ll be interesting to see what they do. Mackenzie’s back on a really good streak. You have to pay respect to Marina Rodriguez, who’s right there and has a win over both of those girls, and she’s got a fight coming up to. Obvious respect to the former champ, Rose Namajunas. So it’s interesting at 115, and it’s about making a statement.”

Dern got back in the win column in her most recent fight at UFC 273 where she beat Tecia Torres by split decision. That result came after the loss to Rodriguez snapped her five-fight winning streak.

A Xiaonan loss would be detrimental to her title aspirations as it would serve to be her third straight after dropping back-to-back fights to Esparza and Rodriguez.

“When it’s crowded and you’re not really sure what’s gonna happen next, who’s gonna make a statement?” Simpson said. “Both Xiaonan and Mackenzie have an opportunity to make a statement in what’s now becoming a top-heavy division. It’s exciting for both of them.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 211.

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Mackenzie Dern vs. Yan Xiaonan headlines October UFC Fight Night event

A key strawweight bout between Mackenzie Dern and Yan Xiaonan has been booked for Oct. 1.

[autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag] got her second career UFC main event.

The UFC strawweight contender is set to take on [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] in the main event of a UFC Fight Night on Oct. 1. The location for the event has yet to be determined.

The news was confirmed by MMA Junkie following an initial report from ESPN.

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Dern (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) is coming off a decision win over Tecia Torres at UFC 273 in April. The victory put Dern back in the win column, as she had previously lost to Marina Rodriguez – a defeat that snapped a four-fight winning streak.

On the other hand, Xiaonan (15-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) looks to bounce back from her worst career moment. The Chinese fighter is on a two-fight losing streak, coming up short against champion Carla Esparza and top contender Marina Rodriguez. Prior to the pair of defeats, Xiaonan was unbeaten in her past 13 bouts.

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Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan booked for UFC 272

A pivotal women’s strawweight matchup pitting Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan has been added to UFC 272.

A key women’s strawweight matchup has been added to UFC 272.

Top contenders [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag] and [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] have been booked to fight on the March 5 pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. MMA Junkie confirmed the booking with an additional person with knowledge of the matchup following an initial announcement from Xiaonan’s management, Paradigm Sports.

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Rodriguez (15-1-2 MMA, 5-1-2 UFC) is coming off a big win in her second UFC main event spot. The Brazilian beat Mackenzie Dern with a unanimous decision to extend her winning streak to three. Rodriguez’s only career loss came against former UFC champion Carla Esparza in July 2020.

China’s Xiaonan (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is coming off her first defeat in the UFC. She was was stopped by TKO by Esparza in May. Prior to that, she was on a 12-fight unbeaten run that included six UFC wins over notable names like former title challengers Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz.

With the addition, the latest UFC 272 lineup now includes:

  • Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell
  • Jessica Eye vs. Manon Fiorot
  • Mariya Agapova vs. Maryna Moroz
  • Dustin Jacoby vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
  • Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
  • Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan

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‘Hey, how are you?’: UFC’s Amanda Ribas politely calls out Yan Xiaonan

Leave it to Amanda Ribas to call someone out in the nicest way possible.

Leave it to [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] to call someone out in the nicest way possible.

Cheerful UFC strawweight prospect Ribas (10-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) took to Twitter to call out top-five ranked [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who’s also coming off her first octagon setback.

Heyy @yanxiaonan how are you? I was thinking..almost all fighters in our weight division have a scheduled fight..How about schedule ours too?I think it would be a GREAAT fight Smiling face with heart-shaped eyesSmiling face with heart-shaped eyesSmiling face with heart-shaped eyes

When she returns to the octagon, Ribas will look to rebound from her second-round TKO loss to Marina Rodriguez this past January at UFC 257. The loss snapped her five-fight winning streak, which included a win over strawweight contender Mackenzie Dern.

The Brazilian fan favorite was scheduled to face Angela Hill at UFC on ESPN 24 in May, but she withdrew the day of the event after testing positive for COVID-19. The bout was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 189 in June, but Ribas was forced out once again due to lingering effects from COVID and, as a result, the fight was scrapped.

Meanwhile, Xiaonan also recently saw her impressive run in the UFC come to a halt. After starting out 6-0, including a win over former title challenger Claudia Gadelha, Xiaonan was stopped by former UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza in May in a pivotal title contention bout.

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UFC Fight Night 188 results: Carla Esparza mauls Yan Xiaonan, calls for next title shot

Carla Esparza made it five wins in a row after stopping Yan Xiaonan at UFC Fight Night 188.

[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]’s performance at UFC Fight Night 188 was as good as it gets.

The former strawweight champion stopped [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] in dominant fashion in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 188 in Las Vegas. Esparza (18-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) defeated Xiaonan (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) by second-round TKO at the 2:58 mark.

It was one of the most impressive showings in Esparza’s career.

The 33-year-old Esparza took down Xiaonan early in the first round and didn’t let her back up until the bell rang. Esparza maintained dominant positions and landed heavy ground-and-pound that split Xiaonan’s forehead open.

The second round was no different. “The Cookie Monster” took down Xiaonan again early in the round, worked her way to the crucifix position, and didn’t stop landing punches and elbows. Bloodied and unable to escape, Xiaonan gave the referee no option but to stop the fight.

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Esparza was flawless in ending Xiaonan’s six-fight wining streak and her unbeaten run in the promotion. Esparza now settles herself as a top contender in the division, if not the top. She’s on a five-fight wining streak over notable names such as Virna Jandiroba, Alexa Grasso, Michelle Waterson, Marina Rodriguez, and now Xiaonan.

Esparza, who has a win over current champion Rose Namajunas, called for a tile shot in her post-fight interview.

“I want a chance to fight for that title,” Esparza said. “I think that’s an intriguing fight. It’s a fight that everyone wants to see. Come on Dana, let’s make it happen.”

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 188 results include:

  • Carla Esparza def. Yan Xiaonan via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 2:58
  • Jared Vanderaa def. Justin Tafa via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Norma Dumont def. Felicia Spencer via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Ricardo Ramos def. Bill Algeo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Jack Hermansson def. Edmen Shahbazyan via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
  • Ben Rothwell def. Chris Barnett via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 2, 2:07
  • Court McGee def. Claudio Silva via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-27)
  • Bruno Silva def. Victor Rodriguez via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:00
  • Josh Culibao def. Shayilan Nuerdanbieke via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • David Dvorak def. Juancamilo Ronderos via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:18
  • Damir Ismagulov def. Rafael Alves via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

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Twitter Mailbag: Does Cody Garbrandt or Rob Font have more to gain at UFC Fight Night 188?

Who has more to gain in the UFC Fight Night 188 headliner? What’s next for some of the event’s key winners?

Questions on your mind about recent happenings in the UFC or sport of MMA in general? MMA Junkie’s Twitter Mailbag is here – and this week, @mma_kings answers:

  • Who has more to gain at UFC Fight Night 188, [autotag]Rob Font[/autotag] or [autotag]Cody Garbrandt[/autotag]?
  • What’s next for the [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag] winner?
  • What’s next for [autotag]Yan Xiaonan[/autotag] if she beats [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]?
  • What are the odds [autotag]Chris Barnett[/autotag] beats [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag]?
  • How good is [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag]?

Watch the video above for answers to those questions.

To ask a question of your own, follow @MMAjunkie on Twitter and let us know.

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