Enbo Fight (or 恩波格斗 in Mandarin Chinese) may be China's most storied MMA team. Famous for housing disadvantaged youth and teaching them MMA, over a hundred young fighters currently live and train at the base in Chengdu, Sichufan's capital city.
If the name Enbo Fight doesn't ring a bell, consider the fighters that have made their way from the training system all the way to the UFC: Sumudaerji, Rongzhu, Yizha, and Maheshate Hayishaer. In ONE Championship, Banma Duoji and Zelangzhaxi represent the storied establishment. Whenever one of these fighters appears pops on the radar, there's always a dozen more that are one or two years away from doing the same.
Enbo Fight is a hub for Chinese ethnic minorities. Chengdu butts up right next to the broader Tibetan region, and most of the fighters on this list are ethnic Tibetans. There's also resident Yi groups living in Sichuan province, and every now and then an ethnic Kazakh will find their way to the gym. The one thing they all have in common is that they're young, with most going pro as teenagers.
Since the majority of these fighters still compete exclusively in China, they aren't often well-known to the broader MMA community. Here are the top thirteen rising fighters from Enbo Fight at MMA fans should start to familiarize themselves with.
13. Zeqiuduoji (5-0)
Tibetan featherweight Zeqiuduoji opens this list, sporting a 5-0 record. He is the younger brother of UFC fighter Yizha, and has been quick to follow in his footsteps. Like his brother, Zeqiuduoji is building his game around wrestling and strong top control. However, his boxing is a solid compliment to his wrestling, utilizing feints and fluid combinations to set up the takedown.
Zeqiuduoji is still in the early phase of his career, fighting lower-level competition. His last win was a decision victory against Korean Seong Hyeon Seok last October at the WLF, and has yet to fight in 2024. He made an appearance the UFC Combine Academy this year, earning a spot on the team and ranking twenty-second overall.
12. Sulangrangbo (7-2)
Sulangrangbo fights at bantamweight and is riding a solid seven-fight win streak. He's tied for the youngest fighter on this already young list: he's just eighteen years old. Ranking nineteenth at the UFC Academy Combine this year, he joins the large group of Enbo Fight representatives taking up residence at the Shanghai PI.
He's slowly rounded out his game since going pro at fifteen, taking some big steps up in opponents in his last few fights. In his last outing to the cage, he took part in the WLF vs. Alash Pride FC co-promoted show against Kazakh opponents. Sulangrangbo took a unanimous decision over Utukzhan Soyuzov, who was 6-4 at the time.
His style fits his tall, rangy frame, as he uses the jab well. He's also pretty scrappy on the ground and difficult to take down or keep on his back. In summary, he's a sniper that can afford to fight way out of his opponent's range while picking his shots carefully. Look for him to continue building himself up on the Chinese regional scene for a few years before going international.
11. Regezhen (7-0)
Tibetan featherweight Regezhen sits at a comfortable 7-0 as a professional. Regezhen got the attention of Chinese MMA fans when he made his debut against the well-regarded Li Jingtao at Huya FC less than two years ago, upsetting the JCK veteran with a TKO by doctor's stoppage.
The win, however, was not a fluke. He's fought up in experience several times in his perfect run, also beating Danier Nuerboli and Mongolian fan favorite Ganzorig Erdenebaatar along the way. The success in organizations like JCK and WLF have paved the way to train at the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai, ranking eighteenth overall in this year's combine.
He last fought at WKG / M-1 Global in May, winning a decision against Tajikistan's Muhammadrasul Khasanov. As of now, it looks like he will fight on August 10th for the Chinese promotion Shui Combat.
10. Yixiemu (8-0)
Undefeated Tibetan flyweight Yixiemu is just eighteen years old, but already carving out a spot as a prospect to watch in China. While most of his competition so far hasn't been at an elite level, there are some bright spots. In just his third professional MMA fight, he won a decision over Lu Zhenyong, a future Road to UFC tournament alternate who had an 11-7 record at the time of fighting Yixiemu.
In his most recent contest, he fought the young Chinese-Kazakh Ayiding Tuohetaerbieke in JCK, winning by split decision. Ayiding is a tough fight for anyone on the Chinese regional scene, and like many ethnic Kazakhs, wrestles well. However, Yixiemu was able to work through the takedowns of Ayiding, getting back to his feet and moving out of danger, while scoring with precision on the feet.
Where Yixiemu shines is in counter-striking and distance management. He slides into range and throws a variety of single-strikes with accuracy. His next fight is scheduled for JCK Fight Night 90 on August 10th against Yihuoage.
9. Gexipengchu (10-1)
Gexipengchu has proven to be allergic to cageside judges, only making it to the final bell twice in eleven professional fights. The 10-1 bantamweight has been fighting mostly lower-level talent in regional Chinese promotions until taking a big step up against 9-11 Brazilian William Valentim at WLF last month.
The Tibetan quickly dispatched of the much more experienced foreigner in the first round, stiffening Valentim with a head kick. Gexipengchu is an explosive fighter that specializes in a variety of flashy kicks, fighting with a nasty aggression at range. The twenty-one year old ranked thirteenth overall on the UFC Academy Combine this year.
8. Degaxue (7-1-1)
Bantamweight Degaxue may have suffered his first loss as a professional last May, but he's quickly proving that he belongs in a high level of combat.
His last three fights have all come against international competition, to mixed, but overall positive results. After TKO'ing South Korea's Kim Hyo Ryong, he fought Japan's Shohei Higashi to a draw. Then, he suffered his first career loss to Haruki Kawakita last May in a contentious split decision.
Like many Enbo fighters, Degaxue is crafty on the mat and threatens with submissions from just about every angle. At a Liangshan Torch Festival showcase, he submitted Asanali Maimaitiyumier with a rolling calf slicer in under a minute. At twenty year old, Degaxue is quickly following in the footsteps of Sumudaerji in accruing solid international experience at a young age.
7. Nigedan (22-7)
Tibetan flyweight Nigedan has been on the radar of Chinese MMA fans for much longer than those preceding him on this list. Clocking in at nearly thirty fights, Nigedan has been competing professionally since 2016. Currently signed to JCK, he's been fighting many of China's top flyweights in the promotion.
Nigedan specializes in wrestling, but he's been showing more to his striking recently as well. His most recent win came against rising prospect Hailaierke, setting up a first-round TKO with a flush spinning backfist. The twenty-six year old is coming off back-to-back losses in JCK, but all of his recent losses come to top Chinese fighters like Zhou Qiyang and Shamuhaer Aidelibieke.
It'll be interesting to see how JCK matches him next- against another top contender or to build him back up against a less-experienced prospect.
6. Agulali (10-1)
The first of two fighters from the Yi ethnic minority on this list, bantamweight Agulali has got a lot of people excited at the raw age of nineteen.
In his MMA debut, he scored a win over Wang Shaoxiang, who would go on to become a top Chinese prospect and JCK bantamweight champion. Since then, he fought lower-level opponents in WLF and ABA, an Enbo Fight-sponsored promotion. Deceptively strong and boasting incredible takedown defense and balance, Agulali shows a measured maturity uncharacteristic for his age.
His breakout win was over Murad Kurbanov (9-3) at Canggu Fight Night last December. After the Dagestani landed a throw on Agulali, the Chinese fighter out-grappled his opponent over the course of the round to find a TKO finish before the end of the first round.
He should be a candidate for Road to UFC's fourth season, or at the very least, a title fight in a regional promotion.
5. Huang Yuele (9-1)
At one time, featherweight Huang Yuele was on top of the Chinese MMA scene. He was the featherweight champion at WLF, undefeated, and potentially the number one prospect.
Then, he ran into TUF Brazil winner Reginaldo Vieira's guillotine choke and suffered his first loss in October of 2023.
Since then, he's been out with a hand injury and hasn't fought since. Up until the loss, Huang was cutting through the competition with accurate kickboxing and heavy punching power. He's fought nearly every one of his professional fights for WLF, holding stoppages over Ganzorig Erdenebaatar and ONE veteran Xie Chao. At twenty-four years old, he's still got plenty of time to develop into the super-prospect he seemed destined to become.
4. Ze Wang (9-3)
Maybe the hottest rising prospect competing exclusively for Chinese promotions right now is Tibetan featherweight Ze Wang. While his record may have been checkered early in his career, in the last year, he's hit a different gear and appears to be closing some of his biggest defensive holes. Perhaps his work at the UFC Performance Institute is pairing well with the flamboyant Tibetan, because he's on a five-fight win streak, all finishes.
Ze Wang loves the flashier, cockier elements of the fight business. His style is built around fancy moves, and his personality seems to be puffing up larger and larger with each battle. He fought just yesterday against China Top Team's Hubulan Tuerxunbieke, another reformed fighter on a tear.
While Hubulan is an exceptional wrestler with decent boxing, Ze Wang mystified his opponent with his showboating style, pulling off an absurd sequence where Ze Wang landed a flush, jumping knee, an uchi mata throw, then set up a deep triangle choke on the mat while in transition. While Hubulan survived the tornado of offense, Ze Wang still won a clean unanimous decision. He'll next go up against Naertai Kezibayi in the finals of a featherweight tournament for one million Chinese RMB (roughly $137,000 USD).
3. Jiniushiyue (13-4)
Now well-known to fans of Road to UFC, Yi flyweight Jiniushiyue seems to be right on the bubble of greatness. While originally from the Enbo Fight gym, he's been locked in at the UFC Performance Institute for a few years now.
A dark horse entering the second season of Road to UFC, he impressed fans with his laser-accurate jab and clinchwork in the first two rounds, before running into the cyclone of Rei Tsuruya's grappling in the finals. Still, there seemed to be unfinished business for Jiniushiyue given the apparent early stoppage against Tsuruya.
Going into the third season of Road to UFC, he'd gone from unknown to early favorite. "Little King Kong" would fight another strong favorite, Choi Dong Hoon, in the opening round. Once again, Jiniushiyue would come just out of reach of a victory, losing to Choi by split decision. It's unclear what's next for the talented flyweight, if he'll prepare for season four of Road to UFC or look for a big fight with an international promotion.
2. Dong Huaxiang (12-2)
Dong Huaxiang is likely the top Chinese female prospect outside the UFC. However, there hasn't been much for her to do fighting in China recently, even after a hiatus taken for personal reasons. Also training at the UFC Performance Institute, Dong originates from south China's Guangxi province and comes from a strong wrestling base. She's added a solid boxing attack to her wrestling, and because of that, holds an advantage over practically every other woman fighting in China at the moment.
She's already captured the WLF strawweight belt against Huang Feier, and that was before she even turned twenty-three. She was close to signing with the UFC last fall, but was still bound to her contract with WLF. But at long last, Dong has entered the Road to UFC tournament and may be the top pick to win the whole strawweight tournament.
She fought Indian Priya Sharma to a decision in the opening round, defending Sharma's takedowns and outstriking her on the feet. Dong was critical of her performance- her first in nearly a year- and vowed to do better in her semi-final fight next month at the Road to UFC semi-finals against Shi Ming.
1. Taiyilake Nueraji (10-1)
Chinese-Kazakh Taiyilake Nueraji is one of the most violent prospects in all of MMA right now, period. The young welterweight has never gone a decision in eleven professional fights, and eight of his ten wins come in the first round.
He's everything the UFC is looking for in a prospect- young, consistently entertaining, and appeals to both a Chinese and Kazakh audience. His last four fights have all come against quality opponents on big stages- Kim Han Seul at Road to UFC (a KO of the Year candidate), Dhouglas Ribiero at Naiza FC (a 90-second TKO destruction), and Maxim Shemchenko at WKG/M-1 Global (first-round armbar).
One figures that Nueraji could head to the UFC at any time now, but whether there's a holdout with the promotion or it's just personal preference, he's been taking one-off fights in various Asian promotions. His next fight looks to be scheduled for August 10th at a startup Chinese promotion, and is also scheduled for Happy Elephant MMA Champions' League on October 12th in Macau. His opponent hasn't been announced, but it should be another international fighter.
If Taiyilake doesn't sign with the UFC after a fifth-straight win, what's he waiting for?
Honorable mention: Qiulun, Sanlanggexi, Li Yunfeng, Lizi Congwu.
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