UFC: China Academy prospect Li Kai Wen promises to light up the Octagon – ‘what I say, I do’
- ‘The Underdog’ sets his sights on UFC debut after ONE Championship run ends on sour note, saying ‘I don’t care about them any more’
- ‘Consider me a good piece of merchandise. I am a hot-speaking guy,’ bantamweight Li adds
The body art is what first draws your attention to Li Kai Wen – as it covers him pretty much from knee to neck – and the Chinese bantamweight believes it is all part of a package that will soon shake up the UFC.
“From now on I am not only a fighter, you can consider me a good piece of merchandise,” Li explains. “I know I have my own value and the more I show that to the UFC and the fans the more worthy I will be.”
It was revealed on March 19 the 25-year-old from Tianjin (10-4) had made the cut for the third Academy scholarship programme at the UFC’s Performance Institute in Shanghai. “The Underdog” Li has now joined 29 athletes looking to train and fight their way into the UFC and he hopes that he’ll be making his debut inside the Octagon this year.
Li says he’ll bring something a little special when he does.
“The difference between me and other Chinese fighters is I always do what I say I will do. I am a hot-speaking guy and what I say, I do,” says Li. “My outgoing personality will definitely be different from the other Chinese fighters [in the UFC]. The goal now, and in the beginning, is to compete on an international stage and the UFC is the biggest stage in the world.”