| Rong Zhu | |
| Other Names: | Little Yama |
| Birth Date: | 7 March 2000 |
| Birth Place: | Heishui County, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China |
| Weight Lb: | 155 |
| Weight Class: | Lightweight |
| Reach: | 71 in[1] |
| Fighting Out Of: | Aba, Sichuan, China |
| Team: | Enbo Fight Club American Top Team[2] |
| Years Active: | 2016–present |
| Mma Kowin: | 15 |
| Mma Subwin: | 6 |
| Mma Decwin: | 3 |
| Mma Dqwin: | 1 |
| Mma Koloss: | 1 |
| Mma Subloss: | 4 |
| Mma Decloss: | 1 |
| Sherdog: | 233823 |
| Native Name: | 茸主 |
Rong Zhu (Chinese: ;[3] born March 7, 2000) is a Chinese mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Of Tibetan descent, as early as the age of 12, Rong began to practice Sanda. After three years of hard training and not achieving great results, he decided to switch sports and after seeing MMA on TV, and was instantly attracted by the sport. Later, after being introduced by his uncle, Rong started training at Enbo Fight Club as an assistant and sparring partner for Su Mudaerji, where his duties included tasks such as carrying towels and water.[4]
Having his first pro fight just days after his 16th birthday in 2016, Rong compiled a 17–3 record on the Chinese regional scene, most off it with the promotion WLF, where he captured the Lightweight title and defended it three times.[5]
Rong made his UFC debut against Kazula Vargas at UFC 261 on April 24, 2021.[6] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[7]
For his second fight in the UFC, Rong was initially scheduled to face Dakota Bush on September 18, 2021, at .[8] However, Bush tested positive for COVID-19 during fight week and was replaced by Brandon Jenkins.[9] At the weigh-ins, Rong weighed in at 158 pounds, two pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at a catchweight and he forfeited 20% of his purse to his opponent.[10] He won the fight via technical knockout in round three.[11]
Rong faced Ignacio Bahamondes at on February 26, 2022.[12] At the weigh-ins, Rong weighed in at 160 pounds, 4 pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit. It was the second straight fight in which he had missed weight. His bout proceeded at a catchweight and he was fined 40% of his purse, which went to Bahamondes.[13] He lost the bout via third round submission.[14]
In his first appearance post-release, Rong faced Felipe Maia on October 20, 2022, at UAE Warriors 34. He won the bout via TKO in the second round.[15]
Rong entered the Road to UFC tournament and faced Hong Seong-chan in the Lightweight Quarter-final on May 28, 2023, at Road to UFC Season 2: Episode 3, defeating him via first round TKO stoppage.[16]
In the Semifinals, Rong faced Kim Sang-wook on August 27, 2023, at Road to UFC Season 2: Episode 6, winning the bout via unanimous decision.[17]
Rong was scheduled to face Shin Haraguchi on December 9, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 233.[18] However, they were pulled from this event due to the change of location.[19] The bout eventually took place on February 4, 2024, at the UFC Apex. Rong won the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the third round to become the Road to UFC 2 Lightweight champion.[20]
Rong faced Chris Padilla on September 7, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 242.[21] He lost the fight by technical knockout via doctor stoppage as a result of an elbow to the eye in the second round.[22]
|-|Loss|align=center|25–6|Chris Padilla|TKO (doctor stoppage)| | |align=center|2|align=center|4:14|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|25–5|Shin Haraguchi|Submission (rear-naked choke)|Road to UFC Season 2: Episode 7||align=center|3|align=center|3:06|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States ||-|Win|align=center|24–5|Kim Sang-wook|Decision (unanimous)|Road to UFC Season 2: Episode 6||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Kallang, Singapore||-|Win|align=center|23–5|Hong Seong-chan|TKO (punches)|Road to UFC Season 2: Episode 3||align=center|1|align=center|2:17|Shanghai, China||-|Win|align=center|22–5|Felipe da Silva Maia|TKO (punches)|UAE Warriors 34||align=center|2|align=center|1:59|Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates||-|Loss|align=center|21–5|Ignacio Bahamondes|Submission (brabo choke)|||align=center|3|align=center|1:40|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|21–4|Brandon Jenkins|TKO (punches)| ||align=center|3|align=center|4:35|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Loss|align=center|20–4|Kazula Vargas|Decision (unanimous)|UFC 261||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Jacksonville, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center| 20–3|Bi Deliya|TKO (punches)|WLF W.A.R.S. 50||align=center|3|align=center|4:16|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 19–3|Shayilan Nuerdanbieke|TKO (punches)|WLF W.A.R.S. 47||align=center|1|align=center|2:05|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 18–3|Han Jiaqiang |Submission (arm-triangle choke)|WLF W.A.R.S. 46||align=center|1|align=center|2:01|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center|17–3|Huwanixi Wusikenbieke|KO (punches)|WLF W.A.R.S. 43||align=center|1|align=center|1:47|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 16–3|Alisson Barbosa|Decision (unanimous)|WLF W.A.R.S. 39||align=center|5|align=center|5:00|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 15–3|Mohsen Mohammadseifi|TKO (punches)|WLF W.A.R.S. 35||align=center|1|align=center|2:50|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 14–3|Marcio Andrade|Submission (rear-naked choke)|WLF W.A.R.S. 31||align=center|5|align=center|3:49|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 13–3|Nikoloz Kajaia|Submission (guillotine choke)|WLF W.A.R.S. 27||align=center|2|align=center|3:47|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 12–3|Arben Escayo|TKO (injury)|ABA Fighting Championship: Hongyuan||align=center| 1|align=center| 1:39|Hongyuan County, China||-|Win|align=center| 11–3|Aleko Sagliani|TKO (shoulder injury)|WLF W.A.R.S. 25||align=center| 2|align=center| 2:55|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center|10–3|Arsen Balyants|TKO (elbows and punches)|WLF W.A.R.S. 23||align=center|3|align=center|0:55|Zhengzhou, China| |-|Loss|align=center|9–3|Guilherme Cadena|Submission (triangle choke)|WLF W.A.R.S. 21||align=center|1|align=center|3:32|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 9–2|Takuma Watanabe|TKO (punches)|WLF W.A.R.S. 18||align=center| 1|align=center| 3:42|Maerkang, China||-|Win|align=center| 8–2|Vincenzo Tagliamonte|TKO (punches)|WLF W.A.R.S. 17||align=center| 1|align=center| 4:44|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 7–2|Ruslan Khairulin|TKO (punches)|WLF W.A.R.S. 15||align=center| 2|align=center| 4:02|Zhengzhou, China||-|Loss|align=center| 6–2|Wuliji Buren|Submission (rear-naked choke)|Chin Woo Men: 2016-2017 Season, Stage 7||align=center| 1|align=center| 1:37|Guangzhou, China| |-|Win|align=center| 6–1|Shanati Shamaiti|Decision (unanimous)|Chin Woo Men: 2016-2017 Season, Stage 6||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Guangzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 5–1|Feng Kai Niu|Submission (armbar)|Chin Woo Men: 2016-2017 Season, Stage 4||align=center|1|align=center|1:43|Zhengzhou, China||-|Loss|align=center| 4–1|Shamil Nasrudinov|Submission (guillotine choke)|WLF E.P.I.C. 9||align=center|1|align=center|4:01|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 4–0|Semen Galushko|TKO (punches)|WLF E.P.I.C. 6||align=center|1|align=center|2:16|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 3–0|Andrey Sapa|Technical Submission (guillotine choke)|WLF E.P.I.C. 4||align=center|1|align=center|2:18|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center| 2–0|Vadim Hristoforov|TKO (punches)|WLF E.P.I.C. 3||align=center|1|align=center|3:39|Zhengzhou, China||-|Win|align=center|1–0|Roman Lutsenko|DQ (punches to back of head)|Bullet Fly FC 4||align=center|2|align=center|2:06|Beijing, China|[23]