MMA fighter Shi Ming stunned spectators at the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) Fight Night in Macao with a ferocious knockout victory over her opponent Feng Xiaocan. In the third round of their bout on November 23, 2024, Shi delivered such a powerful head kick that Feng had to be carried out on a stretcher.
With this sensational win, Shi became the first “Road to UFC” strawweight tournament champion, earning her a contract with the UFC, making her the 16th Chinese fighter to join its roster. What’s equally remarkable about the 30-year-old fighter is her dual identity: Shi is also a registered specialist in acupuncture and massage. Inside the ring, her mission is to deal out pain, while outside, she is dedicated to alleviating it.
Born in 1994 in Heilongjiang Province, Shi drew inspiration from her grandparents, both traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors. At 10, she began training in combat sports including Taekwondo, sanda and wrestling. In 2013, she enrolled at the Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine to study acupuncture, moxibustion and massage. During her college years, she continued practicing boxing and began competing in tournaments. By 2018, Shi had become an acupuncturist at a hospital in Kunming, Yunnan Province. That same year, she began training under US catch wrestling coach Bagher Amanolahi at a local boxing club. Since 2020, she has competed in 12 matches, including three UFC fights in 2024.
Shi told the media that balancing her two seemingly opposing professions is not as dramatic as people might think. However, she admitted to often feeling conflicted in the ring. “On the one hand, I want to win, but on the other, I don’t want my opponents to get hurt,” she said.
Her medical expertise also gives her a unique advantage: she uses her training in acupuncture and traditional therapies to aid her own recovery and help her teammates heal from injuries.
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