It took Su Mudaerji just 44 seconds to formerly lay down his credentials in the UFC’s flyweight division – and to lay out opponent Malcolm Gordon. With the straight left to the face that set up the end of their bout on the UFC Vegas 15 card on November 28 came adulation from the cageside commentary team, with Paul Felder in particular going nuts. But “The Tibetan Eagle” (13-4) says he was oblivious to all the fanfare, such is the 24-year-old Su’s focus on climbing the ranks in a division that has been reborn in the past year, thanks to the exploits of Brazilian champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1-1), and the fighters – such as Su – who have been trailing in his wake. “I wasn’t taking the comments seriously, or checking on what people were saying. I’m just out there trying to be humble and to be myself,” is how Su recalls the win over Canada’s Gordon (12-5). “I felt so good after that last fight. I had prepared a lot, for three rounds, but I had thought about the KO as well. It came faster than I thought. I thought he would last until the second round.” After dabbling in the bantamweight division, Su says he has found a home at 125 pounds. And in pure flyweight terms what Su brings to the party is height and range that seem to belie even the statistics that tell us the Chinese prospect stands at 1.72 metres, and has a reach of 72 inches. UFC: ‘The Leech’ lands biggest win of career – and US$50,000 bonus But looks – and even facts – can sometimes be deceiving. He still seems somehow larger and boasts that “left-hand laser beam”, as Felder labelled it. “I’m really quick,” says Su. “And that speed is my strength.” Su is back in action as part of Wednesday’s UFC Fight Island 8 card in Abu Dhabi, up against a bit of an unknown quantity in Zarrukh “The Lion” Adashev (3-2), who brings a patchy record since his transition from kick-boxing. 44 seconds KO Su Mudaerji floors Malcolm Gordon at #UFCVegas15 pic.twitter.com/YEXeZlaU3Y — FIGHTMAG (@fightmag) November 29, 2020 In the eight weeks since Su laid Gordon to waste, and picked up a US$50,000 bonus, he’s been working under the guidance of UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber (35-11) and the American’s Team Alpha Male in Sacramento. “I am using that money on training because I have stayed in America and it costs a lot. I am trying to improve myself,” says Su. “I’ve learned a lot here about skills on the ground and I have improved my jabbing.” Team Alpha Male is home to China’s rising bantamweight star Song “The Kung Fu Monkey” Yadong (16-4-1, one no contest), who is tentatively pencilled in for a return against American Kyler Phillips (8-1) on the UFC 259 card on March 6. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sumudaerji (@mudaerji.su) The No 3-ranked strawweight Yan “Fury” Xiaonan (13-1, one no contest) has also been there, as she waits for her next opponent, rumoured to be Poland’s No 2-ranked former champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk (16-4), on a card yet to be confirmed. And the gym was where veteran welterweight Li “The Leech” Jingliang (18-6) added an edge to his preparations for last Sunday’s first-round demolition of Argentine Santiago Ponzinibbio (27-4). Su says there has been a buzz around the Chinese fighters and their collective rise in the UFC, and, after Li’s exploits, he expects lightning to strike twice come Wednesday. Given he now has 10 knockouts from his 11 wins, it’s a good bet it will. “We are always working together like a team and trying to improve,” says Su. “Back home my parents told me they were so happy about the win and they urged me to keep training, to keep working. “I have trained hard for three rounds again. I am confident and if the chance comes to finish him, I will take it.”