UFC Singapore 2018 fight card sets up Chinese charge with Li ‘The Leech’ Jingliang looking past eye gouge
The 30-year-old says controversial eye poke in UFC Perth loss is ‘history’ as he aims to return to winning ways at UFC Fight Night 132
Li “The Leech” Jingliang has brushed off his loss last time out – and the eye gouge controversy that swirled around it – as he focuses on leading China’s charge into UFC Fight Night 132 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s history,” Li said on Wednesday. “You will see a different fighter this time around.”
The 30-year-old takes a 14-5 record into his welterweight clash against Japan’s Daichi Abe (6-1), and he leads four Chinese fighters – and a wave of 15 from the Asia-Pacific region – into the showcase event.
It’s being headlined by the wildly-popular American Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (33-10, one no contest), who’s chasing a record 21st UFC victory in his match-up with rising British welterweight star Leon “Rocky” Edwards (15-3).
But there’s plenty of attention swirling around Li, the most experienced Chinese fighter the world’s leading MMA organisation has on its books, alongside the appearance of rising stars Song “The Terminator” Yadong (11-3), Song “The Assassin” Kenan (12-3), and Yan “Fury” Xionan (8-1), the first female Chinese fighter signed to the UFC.