Valentina Shevchenko says Xiong Jing Nan has her respect
UFC flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko continued to heap praise on Xiong Jing Nan’s champion’s mindset. ‘The Bullet’ rarely heaps praise on anyone who doesn’t measure up to her standards in mixed martial arts.
An over-achiever herself, Schevchenko was pleased to learn that the reigning ONE women’s strawweight world champion Xiong Jing Nan, also shared a similar warrior mindset.
Training with Xiong at Evolve MMA during UFC 275 fight week in June, Shevchenko shared her thoughts about working with ‘The Panda’ by telling Sportskeeda MMA:
“Xiong is very strong and technical, and she has a champion’s personality. In our sport, a fighter needs to be consistent, reliable, and disciplined, in addition to having martial arts skills, of course. This is what separates contenders from champions. This is what I honor the most. My big respect to the Evolve MMA gym where the spirit of these true martial arts qualities are present.”
There’s never a day when Xiong Jing Nan isn’t at the gym. The Chinese superstar has made martial arts her whole life and the results speak volumes. Capturing the inaugural women’s strawweight belt in January 2018 ONE: Kings of Courage, Xiong has remained a dominant force in the division with nine straight victories and seven successful world title defenses under the ONE banner.
Excluding her lone loss to current atomweight queen Angela Lee, which may have been due to the rapid weight cut to 115 pounds, Xiong’s incredible work ethic and growth mindset are a couple of the reasons why she stays sharp this far into the game.
Evolve MMA team continue to be awed by Xiong Jing Nan’s passion for fighting
Xiong Jing Nan’s journey to the top has always been a source of inspiration not only for her fans but for her coaches and teammates at Evolve MMA as well.
Head coach Adam Shahir Kayoom continues to be awed by Xiong’s tenacity and “big heart to fight.” Former ONE world champions such as kickboxing sensation Hiroki Akimoto and MMA slugger Alex Silva, attest to Xiong’s consistency and strong work ethic inside the gym, describing her “beast-like” when she enters the circle.
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Fans expect big things to happen in 2023 for Xiong Jing Nan. In prior interviews, ‘The Panda’ said she still intends to take on the atomweight division; whether she will face Angela Lee for the world title or take on other top contenders in the rankings, she certainly has a busy schedule ahead.