Lawrence Lui vs. Hector Santiago
UFC Fight Night · August 29, 2026 · SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center · Prelims 3:00 AM ET
The brief
- What kind of fight
- Grappler vs. Striker
- Finish likelihood
- Medium
- The line
- No line posted yet
- The stakes
- Bantamweight · Prelims
The read
Lui's grappling pressure and takedown volume give him a path to control this fight if he can close distance safely, but Santiago's kickboxing pedigree and one-punch power make that a genuine risk.
Both men are debuting in the organization proper, adding uncertainty to how their styles hold up at this level.
Lean Lui to find takedowns and grind out a decision, with a Santiago knockout the live alternate outcome if the fight stays standing.
The matchup
This is a UFC-debut clash of styles between a City Kickboxing-trained grappler and a heavy-handed regional knockout artist.
Lui's tournament run showed real wrestling pressure, scoring seven takedowns in his Road to UFC final, while Santiago has stopped five of his six career wins by knockout and holds a WAKO kickboxing title.
Whether Lui can get the fight to the mat against a well-schooled striker is the central question.
Tale of the tape
| 8-1-0 | Record | 6-1-0 |
| 29 | Age | — |
| — | Height | — |
| — | Reach | — |
| — | Stance | — |
| New Zealand | Country | Brazil |
| City Kickboxing | Team | Team Lucas Mineiro |
The numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
The fighters
Lawrence Lui 8-1-0
“Lok Yin”
Lawrence Lui is a Hong Kong-born, Auckland-based bantamweight out of City Kickboxing who became the first New Zealander to join the UFC's men's bantamweight roster by winning the Road to UFC season-four final. His lone professional loss was a split decision in May 2022, and he has won five straight since, including seven takedowns in his tournament-clinching win. He makes his official UFC debut against Hector Santiago in Shanghai.
- WSulangrangbo · Decision (split)UFC 325 · January 31, 2026
Hector Santiago 6-1-0
Hector Santiago fights out of Team Lucas Mineiro in Sao Paulo and brings a WAKO world kickboxing title and a black belt in kickboxing into his UFC debut, with five of his six professional wins coming by knockout. He most recently stopped Paulo Nogueira with a first-round straight right in May 2026. He faces a significant step up in competition against Road to UFC winner Lawrence Lui in Shanghai.
- WPaulo Nogueira · KO (punch)Money Moicano MMA 1 · May 23, 2026