Beware of Yan Xiaonan

      

       For those who don't believe fighters are a threat if they're not ranked in the top 15 of their division think again.  Former Road FC fighter and China born native Yan Xiaonan, who is now signed with the UFC, is a serious threat to any strawweight in the top 15, including the newly crowned champion Rose Namajunas, and former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.  With an aggressive fan friendly style, she is sure to put on a show each time. Anybody she fights will have a serious problem.  She has held titles in One FC, Road FC, URCC and the gold title in WKF.

       Her side kick is prolific, and she catches every opponent flush in the face at some point in the fight.  It has very little telegraph, and she launches it with blistering speed and accuracy.

       Her ground game is functional, but not as proven as her stand up, which is highly formidable.  She dedicates to her leg work when she wants, as seen against Curran when Curran was sent to the canvas by a sweep.  After her only loss in 2010 she appears to have been inactive until 2015, and she is back as strong as ever.

       She has faster hands than might appear on camera.  She doesn't have the longest reach but she knows how to close the distance let her hands go.  She also has pretty good counter striking, but as with many UFC fighters she has a tendency to leave her head stationary.  Overall, she is a well balanced explosive fighter with an extraordinary stand up game.  Her balance, timing and accuracy is note worthy.

       She seems dedicated to her craft and very well schooled.  She is a student of Sanda, an ancient Chinese martial art that evolved from Kung Fu and later developed by Shaolin Monks.  Fans can rest assured that she is going to put everything into each fight and give them their moneys worth.  She doesn't have much experience going 5 rounds, and she has not even gone 3 rounds many times so pacing may be at the center of her UFC development training program, but make no mistake, Xioanan is underrated in the UFC rankings and she is well capable of being a UFC champion.

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