Wang Cong, 34, dyes her hair green, paints her face white and draws a bright red grin before stepping into the octagon.
Fans may assume she follows the Joker from Batman, but Cong explains the look stems from the playing card that inspired the comic‑book villain.
"I can feel the fear of my opponents when I wear the paint," Cong says, adding it gives her a true‑personality boost.
On Saturday at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City, Cong will test that power against Brazilian fighter Natalia Silva in a bout for the vacant flyweight world title.
"The Joker is the most powerful card; I want to be the most powerful," Cong tells BBC Sport. "When I have paint on I feel crazy; it makes me perform better and inspires me."
Cong has baffled opponents at weigh‑ins with face paint and even used a Joker alias on Chinese social‑media accounts.
She pretended to toss a coin and shoot a gun before a 2024 fight, and in July gifted a pack of fake eyelashes to her opponent.
Silva, on a 14‑fight win streak, is the favourite after Valentina Shevchenko vacated the belt. She boasts eight UFC wins, having beaten three former champions with exceptional footwork and kicks.
Some fans were surprised that sixth‑ranked Cong was selected for the title fight, a sentiment Cong admitted she shared. She said, “I was a little bit surprised but my four‑win streak makes sense.”
The event marks the first women's main‑event in the UFC since January 2025 and the first headlining .sgloopb lisa of a numbered UFC fight by two women in recent years.
If Cong wins, she will become only the second Chinese UFC champion after Zhang Weili, and she hopes her success will encourage more athletes to explore mixed‑martial‑arts in China.
Critics on social media called for other fights, but Cong was concise when asked, “I’ve got nothing to say right now. After my fight I think they will shut up.”
