For Wang Cong, the road to the Octagon began on mats, in rings, and on national teams. She carries gold medals from Wushu worlds, an Asian Games title in Sanda, and a silver from amateur boxing. Now, with UFC Fight Night 266 on February 7 around the corner against Eduarda Moura, she’s stepping into another proving ground.

But when the lights hit and the walkout music fades, fans still ask the same thing: who is Wang Cong beyond the highlight reels? Where does she come from, and what roots shape ‘The Joker’? Let’s find out!

What is Wang Cong’s ethnicity and nationality?

Wang Cong was born on May 15, 1992, in Dalian, a port city in China’s Liaoning province. That makes her Chinese by nationality, clear and on record. The venues of her early professional fights also map her early life to China.

She made her pro kickboxing debut on November 13, 2010, against Tiffany van Soest in Las Vegas, but the circuit she worked through as a teenager and young adult largely stayed domestic. The timeline fits: she was already competing at a high level by 18, and by her early 20s, she had stacked elite credentials across Sanda, boxing, and kickboxing.

After all, her trophy shelf isn’t small: Kunlun Fight women’s lightweight champion, 2018 Legend of Mulan Tournament winner, gold at the 2013 World Wushu Championships, gold at the 2014 Asian Games, and silver at the 2019 World Boxing Championships. That arc matters because it explains her style inside the cage with sharp entries, clean exits and pressure with posture.

When asked in the UFC.com Q&A about when she started training for fighting, she said, “Since 2022.” The wording sounds simple, but the context matters. By the time she crossed into MMA-focused preparation, she already had a decade-plus of combat sport miles on her body.

As for ethnicity and family background? That’s where the paper trail ends. There’s no public information detailing her ethnic background beyond her Chinese nationality, and Cong doesn’t open up about her family roots in interviews. So what do we actually know? She’s Chinese, born in Dalian, raised on elite striking systems, and shaped by national-level competition. The rest? She’s chosen to keep private, and that boundary deserves respect. Which brings us to the question fans keep circling next, about her faith.

Is Wang Cong Christian?

There’s no public information about Wang Cong’s religion. No statements tying belief to her routine or career. And that silence is consistent with how she handles personal topics in general.

What she does share reveals her competitive compass. In the UFC.com Q&A, she named her favorite fighter: “Ilia Topuria is my favorite. Because we share the similar body type.” As February 7 approaches and she faces Eduarda Moura at UFC Fight Night 266, the questions narrow back to the cage. Can her elite striking pedigree translate to gold in MMA? That remains to be seen.