Despite a strong showing from Canadian fighters at UFC Vancouver, the spotlight in the prelims belonged to Chinese bantamweight prospect Aoriqileng. Inside Rogers Arena, Dana White and Co. returned to Vancouver after more than two years, and the wait proved worthwhile. Throughout the stacked prelims, fighters displayed skill and determination, keeping fans on the edge of their seats — but nothing rivaled ‘The Mongolian Murderer’s electrifying performance, which highlighted his impressive journey under the UFC.

At UFC Fight Night 262, Chinese standout Aori Qileng delivered the card’s most electrifying moment. Returning from a 13-month layoff following a loss to Raul Rosas Jr., Aori wasted no time against Cody Gibson, knocking him out in just 21 seconds and sending him home on his back. The victory marked Aori’s first since 2023, when he defeated Johnny Munoz. His two bouts prior had been far from smooth — he recorded a no-contest after an accidental groin kick from Daniel Marcos and then fell to Rosas Jr. by decision.

Following the bout, Aoriqileng addressed the media through his team. Translated into English, he said, “He’s Chinese and I’m Korean, so I’m go to do my best interpret this. DC. I understood the last part Xièxiè, which is Thank you, but I know we spoke a lot about this fight in. He had zero jitters being 13 months out. It’s a great feeling. We have nothing but respect for Cody and his team, and it was a great win.”

The 32-year-old Aoriqileng has emerged as one of China’s brightest MMA talents. From a young age, he immersed himself in martial arts, honing his skills under the watchful eye of his coach. His dedication earned him a place at the Xi’an Sports Institute, where he trained in Sanda under the renowned coach Zhao Xuejun. With his latest win at UFC Vancouver, the Chinese star, now 26-12 in his professional MMA career, has steadily progressed from the regional circuit to the UFC’s premier stage.

The early martial arts journey and youth training of UFC Vancouver star Aoriqileng

Born on June 25, 1993, Aoriqileng has emerged as one of China’s standout martial artists, a journey shaped by both his heritage and relentless determination. Coming from a herding family in the Xilinhot League of Inner Mongolia, he grew up with a nomadic lifestyle, which in turn made pursuing a career in MMA especially challenging. Nevertheless, Aori Qileng pushed himself to the limit.

As a result, Aoriqileng honed his skills at the Xi’an Sports Institute, training in Sanda under the guidance of the renowned coach Zhao Xuejun—a mentorship that would prove transformative for his career. Martial arts had always fascinated him, and through his dedication under his coach’s tutelage, he laid the foundation for his rise.

At one point, there was a time during his training when ‘The Mongolian Murderer’ admitted he was not giving his best. In an interview with INF News, he said, “When I first entered the gym, I was often lazy and complained that my stomach hurt during training. But after I lost my first fight, I thought, all the same people—why would I lose while he wins? I want to practice hard. I also want to get the gold medal!”

Since joining the UFC in 2021, Aoriqileng has yet to break into the top 15 of his division. With his impressive win over Cody Gibson today at UFC Vancouver, fans and analysts will be watching closely to see if the Chinese star can finally climb into the elite ranks.