‘I hope she’s OK’ – UFC fighter sends opponent to hospital with brutal head-kick and makes history
Shi Ming has created UFC history in devastating fashion.
The 30-year-old became the first-ever female Road to UFC winner by brutally knocking out her countrywoman Xiaocan Feng.
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Both woman squared off in the Road to UFC women's strawweight final at UFC Macau in China, which was headlined by Petr Yan vs Deiveson Figueiredo.
Yan defeated Figueiredo by unanimous decision in the main event bout with all three judges scoring the contest 50-45.
The Russian proceeded to call out UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili after the bout.
Road to UFC is an event series in which top Asian MMA prospects compete to win contracts in Dana White's promotion.
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Ming had secured two decision victories en route to the Road to UFC final and there was no doubt following her victory on Saturday morning.
There was a clear and obvious reach disadvantage for Ming, who fights out of Kunming, Yunnan, but unfortunately for her opponent, it seems the contract winner's leg has the ability to reach any height.
It was the final minute of the third round when Ming sized up Feng in an attempt to finish the fight.
In a sudden burst, she proceeded to faint low as if going to the body, before delivering a nasty head kick that instantly knocked out her opponent.
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The head kick was reminiscent of Leon Edward's method of victory over Kamaru Usman in August 2022 at UFC 278, where the former was crowned the new welterweight champion.
Feng was carried out of the octagon on a stretcher and taken straight to hospital.
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Speaking after the bout to UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping, Ming sent a message to the rest of the strawweight division.
"I feel really happy, I really hope she's OK," she said.
"I have too much mercy, I'm not aggressive enough and many times I show I have knockout power and great wrestling.
"Top control, I think I'm going to be a dangerous girl in the future and good luck to my next opponent."
In the immediate aftermath of the knockout, former MMA fighter and UFC commentator Laura Sanko said: "Baby-faced assassin–call a doctor," while Bisping added: "That was phenomenal and woke the crowd up."
MMA fans were also quick to react to the shocking KO.
One took to X and said: "What a headkick. Possibly the most brutal headkick in KO in Women’s UFC history."
While another added: "I haven’t seen a stiffen body like that in a minute. I hope she is okay."
A third also made Edwards comparisons too as they said: "Reminds me of Leon’s. Looks like she feinted a low kick. Beautiful."
While a fourth responded: "That was so satisfying to watch."
UFC commentator John Gooden confirmed on the UFC Fight Night 248 prelims broadcast that Feng was awake and speaking to her coaches in the ambulance en route to a local hospital for a CT head scan.
She was able to move her arms with no signs of dizziness, but was just unaware of what happened in the octagon.
If cleared in hospital Feng can go home, if not, a member of UFC's medical staff will stay with her until she can go home.
Gooden later confirmed that Feng had no fractures or injuries to her neck and she was talking and moving after a positive early CT scan.
UFC Macau was a card for the ages and also witnessed another insane knockout.
40-year-old Muslim Salikhov was contesting his 12th bout for White’s promotion against fellow veteran challenger Kenan Song in their main card clash.
Salikhov, who was coming off a split-decision win over Argentine contender Santiago Ponzinibbio in July, is nicknamed the ‘King of Kung Fu’ and oh boy did he live up to that status.
Just before the one minute mark in the very first round, Salikhov wound back the clock to deliver a wild wheel kick that instantly slept his Chinese opponent.
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The kick was so clean that Sanko said Salikhov’s face would define the word ‘wheel kick’ in a dictionary.
“Clean, precise and powerful,” Bisping added during the live broadcast too.
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