Yan Xiaonan has been matched with Carla Esparza at UFC Fight Night 192. The Chinese fighter will be looking to move up the rankings with a victory over a former strawweight champion on May 22nd.
Xiaonan (13-1) is riding an 11 fight winning streak and is currently the #12 ranked strawweight. The title is the property of her compatriot Weili Zhang. Since signing for the UFC the 31 year old has won six fights out of six, with every bout going the distance.
In her most recent outing Xiaonan faced Cláudia Gadelha at UFC Vegas 13. She showcased her striking skills, scoring a clear cut decision win over the former 115lbs title challenger.
Esparza (17-6) also has a tendency to go the distance. She has won her last four fights by decision and is currently at #13 in the rankings, one spot below Xiaonan.
The American competed in TUF 20 and has been on the roster since 2014. She is a former strawweight champion who challenged unsuccessfully for the strawweight title in the show’s finale, getting submitted by Rose Namajunas.
There are currently five fights on the UFC Fight Night 192 card. The event is likely to take place in Las Vegas but there is no confirmation on the venue at the time of writing.
UFC Fight Night 192, TBA, May 22nd
Raulian Paiva vs. David Dvorak (Flyweight)
Felicia Spencer vs. Danyelle Wolf (Featherweight)
Denys Bondar vs. Victor Rodriguez (Flyweight)
Carla Esparza vs. Yan Xiaonan (Strawweight)
Rodrigo Nascimento vs. Alan Baudot (Heavyweight)