“Fighting Rooster” Zhang Peimian

Former ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title challenger Zhang Peimian went from doing farm work to fighting in ONE Championship in just under 10 years.

Born in Guashan Village in the Guangxi region of southern China, Zhang describes himself as “an authentic rural child.” Growing up, he helped his family on the farm, where he chopped sugar cane, cut rice, and raised pigs. He did this long before he dreamed about a kickboxing career.

That dream began in the sixth grade, when Zhang started learning martial arts under his headteacher. The guidance paid off immediately: in his very first fight, he scored a knockout in just 58 seconds despite standing a full head shorter than his opponent. After cleaning up in junior competitions, his coach recommended him to Shengli Fight Club in Shenzhen, and in 2017, Zhang made the move to fully chase his dream and realize his true potential.

Zhang’s rise was rapid. Racking up wins against grown, experienced opposition, “Fighting Rooster” was soon hailed as the strongest new force in Chinese fighting. He turned professional in 2018, winning 11 of his first 12 bouts before breezing through China’s Road to ONE tournament in 2021 – a four-man kickboxing spectacle that earned him a coveted spot on ONE Championship’s roster.

Zhang debuted on the global stage in 2022 and quickly established himself as a top contender, defeating former ONE World Title challenger Josh “Timebomb” Tonna by second-round TKO and besting top-five-ranked Aslanbek Zikreev. Later that year, he challenged Jonathan Di Bella for the vacant ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title, falling just short against the Italian-Canadian after five rounds of intense action.

The defeat sparked a difficult stretch, but Zhang refused to fade. The Chinese striker battled back with statement wins over future ONE Interim Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Aliff Sor Dechapan, Thongpoon PK Saenchai, and Ellis Badr Barboza, and he eventually earned that World Title rematch with Di Bella.

Although he fell to the Italian-Canadian ace in another hard-hitting five-round affair in July 2026, the young Chinese dynamo is determined to come back even stronger and become the first man from his nation to claim kickboxing gold in ONE Championship.