China's first-rate Mixed Martial Arts fighter Li 'The Leech' Jingliang will join the UFC Fight Night 141 Beijing to confront Brazil's Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos, who currently ranks 15th after six consecutive wins in the UFC welterweight division, on November 24 at Cadillac Arena in Beijing.
Li has the one of the richest experience at the octagon, especially when compared to other Chinese fighters such as Hu Yaozhong, who first joined the UFC at Fight Night Shanghai on November 25, 2017.
'The Leech' stepped on the UFC stage on May 24, 2014, and currently has a 7-3-0 record. He had a recent match on June 23 at the UFC Fight Night 132 in Singapore where he defeated Japan's Daichi Abe by a unanimous decision. One year ago in Shanghai, Li thrashed Zak Ottow of the USA by TKO at Round 2.
Li then lost to 24-year-old native Jake Matthews after accomplishing three rounds in the UFC 221 during the Chinese Spring Festival period in Australia.
China's MMA fighter Li Jingliang /VCG Photo
The 32-year-old Brazilian Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos has a 15-5-0 record in total professional MMA career, including five knockouts and five submissions. He joined the UFC one year later than Li.
Santos' favorite Mixed Martial Arts are Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Capoeira. His last fight was in the UFC Fight Night 137 in his homeland on September 22 where he knocked out Luigi Vendramini of Italy at Round 2 by flying knee and punches.
Originally, Li Jingliang practiced wrestling and used to win the third place for this sport in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region sports meeting. He started training in Chinese kickboxing Sanda and MMA since 2007 and dominated some domestic fighting events before signing for UFC in 2014.
Li currently ranks 50th and the opportunity to challenge a top-15 fighter could take his career to the next level.
Li Jingliang punches Zak Ottow of the USA at the UFC Fight Night Shanghai, China, November 25, 2017. /VCG Photo
Current Main Card
Curtis Blaydes vs. Francis Ngannou (Heavyweight, second bout)
Hu Yaozhong vs. Rashad Coulter (Heavyweight)
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Li Jingliang (Welterweight)
Song Kenan vs. Alex Morono (Welterweight)
Song Yadong vs. Frankie Saenz (Bantamweight)
Wu Yanan vs. Lauren Mueller (Women's flyweight)
Yan Xiaonan vs. Syuri Kondo (Women's strawweight)
Zhang Weili vs. Jessica Aguilar (Women's strawweight)