One-time title challenger booked for UFC Shanghai co-main event

Yan Xiaonan is set for a pivotal strawweight matchup at UFC Shanghai on August 29, facing rising contender Denise Gomes in the co-main event. The bout takes place at Shanghai Indoor Stadium in China, with Umar Nurmagomedov versus Song Yadong headlining in a bantamweight clash.

Yan (19-5, 1 NC), a former title challenger, has struggled to maintain consistency in recent years. After a perfect 6-0 start to her UFC career, she has gone 3-4 over her past seven fights, including a unanimous decision loss to strawweight champion Zhang Weili. Most recently, Yan fell to Virna Jandiroba via unanimous decision in April 2025—a loss that came after more than a year away from competition. Despite the recent rough patch, Yan's resume includes wins over current champion Mackenzie Dern and former titleholder Jessica Andrade.

Gomes (12-3) represents a serious test. The rising contender is on a four-fight winning streak and poses a genuine threat to Yan's title aspirations. In November, Gomes earned a unanimous decision over Tecia Pennington, continuing her climb up the 115-pound rankings.

The Shanghai card also features a flyweight prospect bout: Rei Tsuruya (11-1), a top prospect in the division, takes on Kevin Borjas (11-5). Borjas recently pulled off an impressive upset victory over previously undefeated Andre Lima.