Julia Polastri KOs Xiong Jingnan Cold at UFC Shanghai

Julia Polastri knocked out former ONE Championship strawweight titleholder Xiong Jingnan with a first-round head kick at UFC Shanghai, spoiling Xiong's homecoming show in front of her home fans.

Polastri set the finish up by flashing punches that had Xiong ducking her head down and to the right, right into the incoming kick. Xiong was out before she landed on the canvas, and the official result went down as a KO at 3:06 of round one. The win pushed Polastri to 3-3 inside the octagon.

Both women missed weight for the strawweight bout, which knocked Polastri out of contention for a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus despite producing one of the nastiest finishes of the card.

What Xiong Jingnan's Loss Means for Her UFC Run

Xiong Jingnan is now 0-2 in the UFC after signing with the promotion following her release from ONE Championship in 2026. Xiong won seven title fights in ONE, including two victories over Angela Lee, and was regarded for years as one of the best fighters competing outside the UFC. But she was mostly shelved during her final ONE run, fighting just once in nearly four years before the promotion let her go. At 38 years old, she has now dropped back-to-back octagon debuts-era fights, first to Angela Hill and now to Polastri, and the head kick finish is the kind of highlight that will follow her into whatever comes next. A former champion coming off a long layoff and multiple losses in a row is exactly the profile bettors should treat with caution, regardless of name value or past ONE title reigns.

Rei Tsuruya Keeps Rolling Toward the Rankings

Rei Tsuruya submitted Kevin Borjas in the first round at UFC Shanghai, improving to 12-1 and building a case for a ranked opponent next. The 24-year-old Road to UFC tournament winner controlled the fight with his usual fast-paced grappling, landing clean takedowns and back takes before finishing the submission. Tsuruya has now won three fights in the Road to UFC tournament and three straight in the UFC itself, with his only career loss coming on short notice against the current reigning champion. That kind of finishing rate against UFC-level competition, still just 24 years old, makes him one of the more interesting long-term futures bets at bantamweight if the promotion fast-tracks him toward the top fifteen.

Elsewhere on the card, Hector Santiago knocked out Road to UFC tournament winner Lawrence Lui in the second round, another notable stoppage on a night that saw several Chinese fighters take hard losses in front of the Shanghai crowd.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who knocked out Xiong Jingnan at UFC Shanghai?

Julia Polastri knocked out Xiong Jingnan with a first-round head kick at UFC Shanghai, finishing the fight at 3:06 of round one.

Was Julia Polastri eligible for a bonus for the Xiong Jingnan knockout?

No, Julia Polastri missed weight for the strawweight bout against Xiong Jingnan, which disqualified her from receiving a Performance of the Night bonus despite the highlight-reel finish.

What is Rei Tsuruya's UFC record after UFC Shanghai?

Rei Tsuruya improved to 12-1 overall and 3-0 in the UFC after submitting Kevin Borjas in the first round at UFC Shanghai.