Due to the coronavirus outbreak, Yan Xiaonan and Song Kenan of China arrived in the Southern Hemisphere after a difficult visa application process, and attended the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Fight Night event at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, on Sunday at noon.
In the prelims, Song, 29, knocked out 35-year-old Australian Callan Potter midway through the first round of a welterweight bout with storm-like punches. It was the fourth win for "The Assassin" in his five matches in the Octagon since signing with the UFC in 2017.
Song, a former employee of a high-speed train manufacturer, began competing in mixed martial arts seven years ago. He now has a record of 16 wins and five losses.
His opponent, Potter, nicknamed "The Rockstar," holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. However, Song in his post-match interview said he had worked on his takedown defense, and the preparation paid off as he handed the home favorite his first loss in his third UFC match.
Song Kenan punches Callan Potter during the UFC Fight Night Auckland event, New Zealand, February 23, 2020. /Courtesy of UFC
Song Kenan knocks out Callan Potter during the UFC Fight Night Auckland event, New Zealand, February 23, 2020. /Courtesy of UFC
For the Main Card, Yan defeated Karolina Kowalkiewicz of Poland by unanimous decision in a women's strawweight bout.
Poland's No. 2 female fighter, Kowalkiewicz, recorded her fourth loss since UFC 228, following losses to Jessica Andrade, Michelle Waterson and Alexa Grasso.
Despite suffering an injured right eye in the opening round, the 34-year-old showed her iron will as she rallied to the third round and attempted to submit sanda master Yan with a heel hook.
Her effort fell short as Yan, 30, won her fifth consecutive UFC match, setting a record for the longest win streak by an Asian fighter.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz (L) and Yan Xiaonan pose at the UFC Fight Night Media Day, February 20, 2020. /VCG
Yan Xiaonan punches Karolina Kowalkiewicz during the UFC Fight Night Auckland event, New Zealand, February 23, 2020. /Courtesy of UFC
Yan wins the fight against Karolina Kowalkiewicz during the UFC Fight Night Auckland event, New Zealand, February 23, 2020. /Courtesy of UFC
The two Chinese fighters, as well Zhang Weili and Li Jingliang, who will attend UFC 248 on March 7 in Las Vegas, have all trained in Thailand since the outbreak of coronavirus in China, in order to avoid the chance their visa applications would be denied.
After the matches, Song and Yan both sent their best wishes to their Chinese compatriots to courage them in the fight against the virus.
In the next major UFC event, Zhang will face Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Poland's No. 1 female fighter and former UFC champion, to defend China's only UFC belt in the women's strawweight division.
Li will also fight the welterweight division's top-15 fighter Neil Magny.
Another title bout will take place in UFC 248 as current middleweight champion Israel Adesanya faces Yoel Romero.