LAS VEGAS – Yan Xiaonan thinks she has a clear path to victory in the UFC Fight Night 211 main event, and it’s keeping off the ground with Mackenzie Dern. That should come as no surprise given Dern (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) is one of the most decorated grapplers on the UFC roster – female or male – going into Saturday’s strawweight main event with Xiaonan (13-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at the UFC Apex, which streams on ESPN+. However, Xiaonan is focused on exactly what she needs to do. “She may do something standing,” Xiaonan told reporters, including MMA Junkie, through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 211 media day. “But it’s just for setup to drag me to the ground because that is the only way she can win this fight, I believe.” Related UFC Fight Night 211 free fight: Yan Xiaonan batters Karolina Kowalkiewicz The fight represents a big moment for Xiaonan’s career. It’s the first time she’s been placed at the top of the billing in her UFC tenure.
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