How MMA Glory Is Shining a New Light on China’s Ethnic Minorities

Hailaierke emerged from his corner in a southpaw pose, before abruptly switching to an orthodox stance inside the octagonal ring in the central Chinese city of Lüliang. Whether that sudden shift befuddled his opponent is unclear, but just 40 seconds later Shang Zhifa was sprawled on the canvas, felled by a vicious right hand.

It was a first-round knockout that won Hailaierke the 1 million rmb ($135,000) top prize at the Dec. 28 flyweight Bounty Event held by JCK...