Shi Ming, also known as Ming “Dr. Sleep” Shi, is a Chinese professional mixed martial artist and practicing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physician. With an 18-6 professional record, she won the Season 3 Road to UFC strawweight tournament on Nov. 23, 2024, defeating Feng Xiaocan with a 46-second head-kick knockout.
The stunning third-round head-kick victory earned her a UFC contract and a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus. Suddenly, “Dr. Sleep” — the nickname she’d earned in the cage — went viral.
“In this octagon, a lot of fans worry about me because I’m small in this division,” Shi said after her latest win. “I have bad eyes. I don’t have enough testosterone but in this Octagon, I’m the boss.”
When she’s not competing in the octagon, Shi helps patients heal. She works full time as a registered TCM internal medicine physician and acupuncturist. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in traditional Chinese medicine, with a concentration in acupuncture and Tuina massage.
Shi Ming’s Double Life
Shi kept her new fighting career hidden from her traditional parents for years, allowing them to believe she practiced only light fitness or traditional martial arts, such as board breaking. She understood why her parents wouldn’t want her pursuing MMA.
“For my parents, they are traditional Chinese parents, and they worry about me,” she explained in a previous interview. “Only a doctor or a lawyer, I don’t have other choices.”
So she chose both.
By day, Shi works as a registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and acupuncturist in Kunming, China, fulfilling her family’s expectation that she pursue a respected profession, such as medicine or law.
In secret, Shi trained in mixed martial arts and competed professionally, balancing her hospital shifts with grueling fight camps.
Family Reaction to News
Because her parents are traditional and worried about the dangers of MMA, she originally planned to keep the full truth from them, as detailed in reports by Yahoo Sports and MMA Junkie. However, the massive global exposure made hiding her other career nearly impossible.
Fans Chime In
“I break you. Then fix you,” a fan joked.
“Her final move: Anesthesia,” another fan joked.
“She brings in her own patients,” a fan commented.
“Knocks her opponent out, then writes them a prescription,” a user joked.
“So would a knockout by her be considered a doctor’s stoppage?” another fan asked.
“Take two of these in the morning and get some rest (then she just slimes you out),” a fan mentioned.
“I always knew Chun-Li was a doctor,” a fan joked.
“Great way to stay in business 🙌🏾🙌🏾,” a fan quipped.
What’s Next for Shi?
Having last competed in May, she bounced back from an August 2025 loss to Bruna Brasil by defeating Puja Tomar via first-round submission (arm-triangle choke) at the Road to UFC Season 5 quarterfinals in Macau.
Although she earned a UFC contract in November 2024 with the head-kick knockout of Feng, she has openly and humorously expressed frustration about continuing to appear on Road to UFC cards rather than being booked for events on the UFC’s main roster.
No next fight has been officially announced since her May victory. She continues to advocate for more opportunities to compete on regular UFC cards outside Asia while balancing her medical practice.
