Xia Li made waves a few years ago as the first Chinese talent to join WWE, honing her skills in NXT before making her debut on Friday Night SmackDown in 2021. Recently, Li revealed that she had to cancel plans to compete in MMA matches while with WWE.
Earlier this year, Xia Li announced her departure from WWE, surprising many fans who were excited to see what she could achieve as a superstar, but many felt she never reached her true potential in WWE.
As previously announced, Xia Li will face Xiomara Li on August 3 in Kissimmee, marking Li's MMA debut. Xiomara holds a 1-0 record in MMA as an amateur, while Xia Li brings her martial arts training and competition experience to the bout.
During an interview at Busted Open, Xia Li revealed that she almost got a chance to wrestle while she was in NXT, but it was cancelled when WWE found out about her plans. After leaving the company, the first thing she did was contact her training coach to schedule her next match. Xia said that she had wrestled in China over 10 years ago.
Li said she now feels a greater sense of freedom and is excited to compete again. She said she has wanted to compete for years. She recalled that after her release, she immediately contacted her coach to ask about her next match, and he informed her of an opportunity to compete in August. She immediately committed to competing in the match, emphasizing her eagerness to return to competition.
“A lot happened before I joined WWE, but now I feel a lot more free. Yes, I can wrestle now. I've wanted to wrestle for years. Last time, I was in NXT. I had a match booked but I got found out and had to cancel. So, the first day I left WWE, I called my coach. I was like, 'Coach, when is my next match?' And he was like, 'Yeah, August.' I was like, 'Okay, I'm in.' That was the first day I left WWE, I called my coach. So I can get it back.”
Xia Li will once again show off her martial arts skills when she competes in MMA this year. She is very happy to finally achieve what she has always wanted to do. So, we will have to wait and see how Li performs in her MMA debut.
What do you think about Xia Li not being able to compete in MMA during her time with WWE? Let us know in the comments below!
