Former UFC strawweight title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz continued her late career slide Saturday.
Kowalkiewicz (12-6 MMA, 5-6 UFC) was handed a unanimous decision loss by surging prospect Yan Xiaonan, who was a step ahead over the course of three rounds at UFC on ESPN+ 26, earning 30-26 scores from all three judges at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand.
In desperate need of a win after dropping three consecutive bouts, Kowalkiewicz made changes to her diet and preparation for the critical contest. Unfortunately, it only took a few minutes for Xiaonan (12-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) to inflict a handicap that the Polish fighter couldn’t overcome to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat.
Xiaonan landed a punch to Kowalkiewicz’s eye that immediately caused noticeable trouble with her vision. She was questioned by the doctor after the first round but was allowed to go on. Xiaonan’s speed and strike advantage was magnified by the injury, and the Chinese fighter poured it on.
Kowalkiewicz tried valiantly to pull off the victory in the third round, pressuring her opponent and committing a lot of time and effort to a leg lock. She couldn’t find a path to complete the comeback, though, leading to her fourth loss in a row dating back to April 2018.
Xiaonan, meanwhile, continued to raise her profile at 115 pounds with the notable win. The 30-year-old is unbeaten over her past 11 fights going back to her sole career loss, which came in September 2010.
