Former ONE Championship strawweight titleholder Jingnan Xiong will make her long-awaited UFC debut against veteran contender Angela Hill at UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Figueiredo on May 30, 2026, inside the Galaxy Arena in Macau.
The 38-year-old Chinese striker enters the Octagon following an impressive run in ONE Championship, where she secured seven consecutive strawweight title defenses before the promotion dissolved the division.
Hill, a 41-year-old strawweight fixture, comes into the matchup having lost three of her last four bouts, most recently dropping a unanimous decision to Fatima Kline in November.
Xiong's Journey to the UFC
Xiong expressed her perspective on transitioning to the promotion after her release from ONE Championship in March, noting the professional growth from her championship tenure.
"We can't speak contractually about the ONE release, but obviously, being released, having the opportunity to fight and be active now, and being signed to the UFC is something I look forward to," Xiong said.
The Chinese fighter achieved historic milestones during her previous run, including an intense trilogy against former atomweight champion Angela Lee.
"It's more about being grateful for the opportunities that were awarded.
I look at those times as character-building times, and also, I had obviously great times with ONE as a champion," Xiong said.
"To be able to fight, win that first inaugural belt, and be the first Chinese martial arts champion — a Chinese world champion in MMA — and to win eight title fights, I'm just happy about that part of the journey and looking forward."
The long layoff since her last appearance in March 2025 created scheduling difficulties for the incoming strawweight athlete.
"That was a very difficult time," admitted Xiong.
Xiong maintained continuous training alongside her coaching staff to ensure full preparation for future opportunities.
"Obviously, as an athlete, I wanted to be active, but I believed in myself and my team.
We had to put the foot on the pedal just to make sure that if any opportunities arise, I was ready to go," she said.
The fighter announced her promotional acquisition officially in April, highlighting the significance of the upcoming event for her career.
"My debut will take place on May 30 in Macau.
It's an opportunity to compete on the biggest stage in the sport and continue building my legacy," Xiong wrote.
The fight card takes place on Saturday night with a bantamweight main event featuring Song Yadong against Deiveson Figueiredo.
