MMA News | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

From Shaolin Temple to MMA: China’s Xie Wei’s Looks to Prove the Strength of a Shaolin Monk and Kung Fu

From Shaolin Temple to MMA: China's Xie Wei’s Journey Looks to Prove Shaolin Monk and Kung Fu Strength China’s Xie Wei has gone from training as a Shaolin monk to becoming a rising star in MMA. The…

China’s Xie Wei has gone from training as a Shaolin monk to becoming a rising star in MMA. The Chinese fighter ‘The Hunter’ has built a reputation as a knockout artist, blending his traditional Kung Fu martial arts background with modern MMA techniques.

From Shaolin Monk to MMA Fighter

At 14, Xie Wei left his hometown to join the legendary Shaolin Temple in Henan Province. Over four years, he trained in Shaolin Kung Fu, a discipline known for its physical rigor and spiritual focus. By the time he left, Xie had become a martial arts instructor, but he wanted more.

“I’ve considered martial arts my passion since I entered the Shaolin Temple,” Xie shared in an interview. “With mixed martial arts, I’m lucky to have my passion as my job.” In 2016, Xie decided to leave the temple to pursue MMA, a decision that initially disappointed his family. Their support came later, once they saw his potential in the sport.
Climbing the MMA ranks in ONE Championship.

From Shaolin Temple to MMa Chinas Xie Weis Journey Looks to Prove Shaolin Monk and Kung Fu Strength

Xie started his MMA career in 2017, competing in regional Chinese promotions before catching the attention of ONE Championship. He entered through the ONE Hero and Warrior Series, where he won five consecutive fights, all by knockout or TKO. His official ONE Championship debut came against top flyweight contender Danny Kingad. Although Xie lost by unanimous decision, he proved he could compete at a high level.

Since then, the Chinese athlete Xie has bounced back with a string of impressive wins, including TKO victories over Chan Rothana, Kantharaj Agasa, and Dae Hwan Kim. Competing at the highest levels, he has suffered three consecutive losses to top opponents but will be looking to bounce back soon.

China’s Xie Wei

Currently 21-8, Xie Wei is on a mission to become one of China’s first male world champions in ONE Championship.
“I’ve already passed the hardest test in my debut against Kingad,” Xie said. “That’s history now. I’ll get back to my winning streak and work toward becoming a champion.”

With his unique blend of Shaolin Kung Fu and MMA, Xie Wei is making waves in the flyweight division. Up next, Xie hopes to climb higher in the rankings and move closer to a title shot in ONE Championship. For now, ‘The Hunter’ remains focused, determined, and ready for the challenges ahead.

When Paige VanZant’s Airport Mix-Up Lead to Embarrassing Sex Tape Reveal

In a hilariously awkward turn of events, former UFC star Paige VanZant inadvertently revealed the existence of a sex…

In a hilariously awkward turn of events, former UFC star Paige VanZant inadvertently revealed the existence of a sex tape during an airport identity mix-up.

Paige VanZant’s Sex Tape?

Paige VanZant took her story to X, explaining that she was en route to Texas when airline staff questioned her identity. The booking was made under her professional name, VanZant, rather than her legally married name, Paige Vanderford. To resolve the confusion, the bare-knuckle boxer and AEW wrestler decided to prove her identity by googling herself in front of the staff.

The plan backfired spectacularly when the first search result displayed was an article referencing a sex tape she made with her husband, Bellator fighter Austin Vanderford.

“Let’s just say I won’t be googling myself in public anytime soon,” VanZant joked on social media, sharing her mortification.

Earlier this year, during an Instagram Q&A, VanZant had confirmed the existence of the tape, stating, “Would I ever share it, sell it, promote it? Hmm, that’s a different story.” The couple, who tied the knot in 2018, seems content keeping the tape private, though VanZant has capitalized on her allure through a subscription-based platform featuring risqué content.

Paige VanZant

Paige VanZant’s career has taken several twists and turns since her UFC debut at age 20. After amassing a 5-4 record in the promotion, she transitioned to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, professional wrestling with AEW, and even Dana White’s Power Slap league. While she’s hinted at a potential return to the cage, she admits fighting has become more of a “part-time hobby.”

Despite setbacks in combat sports, VanZant has found financial success outside the ring. Her modeling and subscription-based content reportedly earned her more than her fighting career ever did. As for whether the infamous tape will ever see the light of day, fans will just have to keep wondering, though VanZant’s latest airport anecdote proves that sometimes, the internet has a sense of humor.

When Paige VanZant’s Airport Mix-Up Lead to Embarrassing Sex Tape Reveal

In a hilariously awkward turn of events, former UFC star Paige VanZant inadvertently revealed the existence of a sex…

In a hilariously awkward turn of events, former UFC star Paige VanZant inadvertently revealed the existence of a sex tape during an airport identity mix-up.

Paige VanZant’s Sex Tape?

The plan backfired spectacularly when the first search result displayed was an article referencing a sex tape she made with her husband, Bellator fighter Austin Vanderford.

“Let’s just say I won’t be googling myself in public anytime soon,” VanZant joked on social media, sharing her mortification.

Paige VanZant

When Paige VanZant’s Airport Mix-Up Lead to Embarrassing Sex Tape Reveal

In a hilariously awkward turn of events, former UFC star Paige VanZant inadvertently revealed the existence of a sex…

In a hilariously awkward turn of events, former UFC star Paige VanZant inadvertently revealed the existence of a sex tape during an airport identity mix-up.

Paige VanZant’s Sex Tape?

The plan backfired spectacularly when the first search result displayed was an article referencing a sex tape she made with her husband, Bellator fighter Austin Vanderford.

“Let’s just say I won’t be googling myself in public anytime soon,” VanZant joked on social media, sharing her mortification.

Paige VanZant

Alex Pereira Claims Next UFC Title Fight Won’t Be Against No. 1 Contender Magomed Ankalaev

Alex Pereira is looking forward to his first title defense of 2024. After a monstrous 2024 that saw him…

Alex Pereira is looking forward to his first title defense of 2024.

After a monstrous 2024 that saw him bag big highlight-reel knockouts over Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree, ‘Poatan’ is planning to go even bigger in 2025.

Originally, all signs pointed toward Pereira putting his light heavyweight title on the line against top-ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev in the first quarter of the year. However, that may no longer be the case according to the ‘Brazilian Boogeyman.’

Recently, Pereira posted a clip from his fourth-round finish of ‘The War Horse’ at UFC 307. Interestingly, in the caption, he wrote, “It won’t be Ankalaev!” accompanied by a cry laughing emoji on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@alexpoatanpereira)

It’s possible that Pereira could be trolling Ankalaev, something he’s been known to do on social media from time to time.

On the other hand, Pereira’s words could be 100% legit considering his targeted return is in March 2025, smack dab in the middle of Ramadan — a holy month in the Islamic calendar that Ankalaev observes every year.

If not magomed ankalaev, then who’s next for alex pereira?

Unfortunately, there are few other options for Pereira at 205. He’s already ran through everyone in the light heavyweight top five aside from Aleksandar Rakic and it’s unlikely ‘Rocket’ would get the nod after coming up short in his last three outings.

Carlos Ulberg already has a bout booked for March against ex-champion Jan Blachowicz.

469825945 9195356430523869 5632454722931075657 n

That just leaves Nikita Krylov, the No. 8 ranked contender in the division.

Krylov is sitting on a three-fight win streak with finishes against Alexander Gustafsson and Ryan Spann, making him the most viable title challenger outside of Ankalaev. Though most fight fans would probably agree that ‘The Miner’ still has some work to do before the UFC could justify giving him a title opportunity.

UFC Next for Dakota Ditcheva? PFL Champion Explains Reason for Potential Move

Dakota Ditcheva is already looking at a future beyond the limitations of the PFL. After winning the PFL Europe…

Dakota Ditcheva is already looking at a future beyond the limitations of the PFL.

After winning the PFL Europe flyweight tournament in 2023, ‘Dangerous’ ran the table during this year’s regular season tournament and playoffs, becoming the promotion’s first-ever global PFL flyweight world champion.

Even more impressive was the fact that she practically ran through former UFC title challenger Taila Santos to win her first $1 million paycheck. Santos previously went toe-to-toe with bantamweight queen Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 275 and in the eyes of many, did enough to dethrone ‘Bullet’ that night.

KO’ing Santos in the second round of their flyweight final, Ditcheva proved that she’s more than just a pretty face backed by the PFL hype machine. She’s a legitimate threat to any woman in any promotion, and after logging another year inside the Smart Cage, she hopes to test herself on a much bigger stage.

355837930 814638440072561 483940107860587244 n Cropped

“I’m definitely with PFL because I’m in contract for at least another year anyway, so I’ve definitely not finished with them yet,” Ditcheva told talkSPORT. “I’ve got lots of things in the pipeline that we could possibly do. But I think, competition-wise, everyone kind of thinks you need to go to the UFC because they do see me as the top girl in PFL, especially now that I’ve beat Santos. You know, she—everyone thought she beat UFC world champion Valentina [Shevchenko].

“So everyone’s kind of a little bit like, before that fight, it was like, ‘How good is Dakota really? She hasn’t fought anyone,’ type thing. And then when I beat her, now it’s like, ‘Oh, who are you going to fight next?’”

What’s next for the undefeated dakota ditcheva?

Ditcheva is a perfect 14-0 in her mixed martial arts career with an incredible 93% finish rate, including 12 knockouts and one win via submission.

It remains to be seen if ‘Dangerous’ will compete in the 2025 PFL tournament or if the promotion will keep her out of the tournament in favor of a potential superfight.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of options for big-money fights under the PFL banner which is why she’s already plotting to follow in the footsteps of two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison and leave the promotion in search of greener pastures and greater challenges.