Hailing from Zhoukou in China’s Henan Province, “Spirit Dragon” Liu Mengyang has emerged as one of the most dangerous strikers in ONE Championship’s stacked featherweight kickboxing division.
The Shunyuan Fight Club representative grew up in a farming family in rural Henan, and his path to the global stage was anything but easy. Before lacing up gloves, he worked in construction and later as a vegetable cutter in a restaurant.
At 16, Liu made a decision that would change his life: he wanted to learn boxing. Soon after, he messaged Shunyuan Fight Club’s manager to inquire about training for the first time.
When he shared his dream with his father, his family made a great sacrifice. His father sold all the corn from their farm and borrowed money to fund his son’s training, a gesture that still fuels the Chinese star today.
Liu went on to collect victories over regional and international stars, and his rise eventually earned him a spot in the world’s largest martial arts organization.
He made an unforgettable debut on short notice at ONE Friday Fights 92 in December 2024. That evening, he surprised fans across the globe when he knocked down former K-1 Champion Masaaki Noiri 20 seconds into their bout and then systematically dismantled him en route to a shocking unanimous decision win.
Though he suffered a setback in his next outing, “Spirit Dragon” bounced back in September 2025 with a unanimous decision victory over Shadow Mavinn, who had been riding a solid winning streak, at ONE Friday Fights 126.
The biggest win of his life came at ONE Friday Fights 137 in December 2025. In the main event at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, Liu chopped down then-ONE Featherweight Muay Thai World Champion Tawanchai PK Saenchai with a devastating calf kick in just 52 seconds. The stunning upset sent shockwaves across the combat sports world and turned “Spirit Dragon” into a household name.
That proved without a shadow of a doubt that Liu is a top contender in ONE Championship’s featherweight kickboxing division, and he will do anything to claim the gold and honor the family who has sacrificed so much for his success.
