New Faces at UFC Macau

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to the Galaxy Arena this Saturday, May 30th, for UFC Fight Night Macau. While the main event features established bantamweight contenders, the card is packed with fresh talent looking to make a lasting first impression. Several fighters will make their Octagon debuts, bringing veteran experience, international championship pedigree, and youthful momentum to the promotion.

The most notable new arrival is Xiong Jingnan. The 38-year-old Chinese fighter is a former ONE Championship Strawweight titleholder. Following ONE’s decision to close its strawweight division, she was released and promptly signed by the UFC. With a 19–2 professional record, she steps straight into the deep end against veteran Angela Hill. Her arrival immediately injects new intrigue into the 115-pound weight class.

In the welterweight division, fans will witness a matchup between two debutants on opposite ends of the experience spectrum. Ding Meng (35–9) brings 44 professional bouts of experience to his home-country debut. The Chinese veteran competed on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024, and after securing a regional knockout victory at A1 Combat 30, he finally earned his spot on the UFC roster. He faces Jose Henrique, a 24-year-old Brazilian prospect with an 8–1 record. Henrique (who also competed on the Contender Series) has experienced a complicated path to the Octagon. He had three previous UFC bookings fall through before finally securing this matchup against Ding.

The trend of double debuts continues in the featherweight and middleweight weight classes. Chinese featherweight Zhu Kangjie will step into the cage riding a five-fight win streak. He was originally slated to face a different opponent, but Peru’s Rodrigo Vera stepped up on just a few weeks’ notice. Vera brings a solid 21–4–1 record and regional success to his short-notice opportunity.

Finally, the middleweight division welcomes South Korean prospect Lee Yi-sak (8–1) and Brazilian finisher Luis Felipe Dias (16–5). Dias brings significant accolades to his debut; he is a former Shooto Brasil champion and a BRAVE Combat Federation veteran. After years of competing on the regional circuit, he earned his UFC contract with a second-round submission victory on Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2025.