Former WWE star Xia Li, now competing under the name Lei Ying Lee, emerged victorious in her Combat Night MMA debut on Saturday night.
While billed as an MMA contest, the bout followed a striking-only format with both fighters wearing kickboxing gear. No grappling took place, and each of the three rounds was limited to two minutes—more in line with kickboxing or Muay Thai rules than traditional MMA.
Lee edged out Myriame Essalki via split decision after a closely contested bout.
“Lei Ying Lee fought hard from bell to bell against an undefeated fighter and won via split decision in her debut. Excited to see what’s next for this prospect out of The Jungle MMA,” the promotion shared in an Instagram post featuring highlights from the fight.
Lee was initially slated to debut for Combat Night last summer, but her appearance was delayed after she tested positive for COVID-19. The matchup with Essalki was officially announced last month.
