To say that fighters sacrifice a lot to earn a living might be an understatement. They continue to fight and overcome odds, with some even reaching remarkable heights. To understand that, one only needs to look at Shi Ming’s story, where a major setback almost derailed her plans ahead of the critical bout in Macau last weekend.

“Shi Ming reveals she was forced to train for her fight against Puja Tomar on an outdoor soccer field after the team she trains with was kicked out of the gym space they were renting 🤯,” the tweet from MMA insider Kevin K read.

While short on finer details about how it unfolded, the report surfaced in the aftermath of what many viewed as a landmark win for Shi Ming. Headlining the “Road to UFC Season 5,” which unfolded ahead of the Fight Night that featured Song Yadong against Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event in Macau, the 31-year-old secured a submission win over the Indian fighter in just over three minutes in the opening round.

Facing Tomar, who is India’s first female UFC fighter, some were curious whether the 18-6 fighter truly deserved her UFC contract, given her debut loss to Bruna Brasil in August 2025. Though she had become a viral sensation in the MMA world after her third-round head-kick knockout of Xiaocan Feng in November 2024 that earned her a Performance of the Night bonus, she had yet to win a fight after securing the UFC contract in late 2025. So the fight in Macau became an opportunity for her to prove herself on a bigger stage.

During the bout, Ming avoided standing and trading punches with Tomar for too long. Instead, she relied on smart grappling and ground control to wear down her opponent. She gradually took the fight to the ground and employed a smooth arm triangle choke, officially earning her first UFC victory.

During her post-fight cage interview, Ming shared that to her, respect mattered more than the UFC contract.

That emotional statement likely stemmed from the grind she endured while training out on the open soccer field.

Few could have expected such a breakout performance to come after a setback that forced Ming and her team to prepare in such difficult conditions.

At the highest level, the sport needs specific infrastructure that helps fighters train properly while minimizing the risk of injury. While training on a soccer field may have its advantages, it could hardly match the facilities a proper MMA gym provides.

Yet the challenges failed to slow Ming down, and by staying focused, she dismantled her rival, moving one step closer to the UFC’s highly competitive 115-pound rankings.

Shi Ming turns adversity into momentum on road to UFC success

Beyond the latest hurdle, the Chinese fighter has already overcome an even greater hurdle by balancing her MMA aspirations alongside her profession as a Chinese medicine (TCM) physician.

Living up to her well-known moniker, “Dr. Sleep,” Shi Ming is a well-qualified Chinese medicine doctor in a hospital in Yunnan, China, where she treats elderly people, stroke patients, and individuals with chronic pain. At the same time, she also trains as an MMA fighter.

A strong example of sacrifice and discipline, Ming reportedly worked overtime at the hospital so that she could save enough vacation days for her UFC training camp.

Reports also suggest she treats her own injuries using acupuncture. She had reportedly broken her nose before and still continued training. She is also extremely nearsighted yet continues competing professionally.

Speaking about her team, her trainer, Iranian-American catch wrestling specialist Bagher Amanolahi, or “Coach Bage,” as Ming affectionately calls him, also played a major role in improving her career. Before working with him, her record was average, but afterwards, she started winning consistently.

Even though she trains only a few hours a week, Ming became much more effective technically.

In the end, Shi Ming is more than just a fighter. She represents hard work, balance, intelligence, and self-made success.