Chinese wrestler Zhao Xia competes professionally. She is currently employed by WWE, where she goes by the stage name Xia Li and appears on the SmackDown brand. As part of this year’s WWE Draft, Xia Li was added to the SmackDown roster. This month, Xia, who had been running her vignettes for weeks, finally made it to the blue brand. Naomi was being attacked three-on-one by Sonya Deville, Shayna Baszler, and Natalya when The Protector arrived to intervene.
The stories they shared about Li throughout her segments made people care about the new Superstar, and WWE has done a tremendous job with her so far. The WWE Community praised Xia’s introduction as well. She might wind up becoming one of the leading stars in the women’s division if everything works out. As more people will see her now that she is on the main roster, they will undoubtedly be curious to learn more about Xia Li.
The newest member of SmackDown’s women’s division is Xia Li. Why does this new Superstar despise vultures? Let’s find out!
Xia Li Bio
| Real name | Zhao Xia |
| Birthday | 28 July 1988 |
| Ring name | Xia Li |
| Height | 5 ft 3 in |
| Trained by | WWE Performance Center |
| Debut | July 13, 2017 |
Xia Li Chinese Female WWE Superstar
She is the first Chinese woman to ever be a WWE Superstar. The fact that Xia Li is the first Chinese female wrestler to ever represent WWE is undoubtedly already widely known among fans. She started working for the company in 2017, and she debuted at the first Mae Young Classic match. even if she lost that contest (or the one after that). She has a lot to prove to everyone, particularly those who are native to her nation.
For those who don’t know, Tian Bing, who performed for WWE from 2016 to 2018, was the “first-ever” male wrestler to come out of China. But in truth, Kenny Li was the first Chinese wrestler to ever work for WWE; that was just marketing on the part of the organisation. As a result of his dismissal from WWE less than a year after joining, the majority of people are unaware of him.
Xia Li Age
On July 28, 1988, Xia Li was born in Chongqing, Sichuan, China. Xia is currently 34 years old, and although if she isn’t one of the SmackDown brand’s youngest female wrestlers, she is still a youthful woman in general.
Xia Li Height
She is somewhat shorter than most female wrestlers. Although WWE presents Xia Li as having incredible strength, it would be challenging to advance her against wrestlers who are taller. Li claims to be 5 feet 3 inches tall, which puts her below many other female wrestlers.
Celebrities like Naomi (5 feet 5 inches), Shayna Baszler (5 feet 8 inches), and Sonya Deville are a few inches taller than Xia (5 feet 7 inches).
Xia Li Martial Arts
She had experience in martial arts. Outside of the ring, Xia Li has accomplished a lot of things. She was about to make her MMA debut and is a true martial artist until WWE pulled her from the match. She has won numerous martial arts events and fitness contests.
Before entering WWE, Li always participated in combat sports, namely wushu. She was a founding partner in a company that provided personal training. She took first place countless times in martial arts and fitness events. It featured the second World Traditional Chinese Wushu Championship, the Nike Challenge Competition, and the first China Throw Down: Battle on the Bund.
Xia Li WWE Career
Mae Young Classic (2017–2018)
Li wowed talent scouts during a tryout in Shanghai, China, and joined the WWE Performance Center in January 2017. She participated in the inaugural Mae Young Classic on July 13 and made her WWE debut there, becoming the first Chinese woman to do so. Yes. She was eliminated in the first round by Mercedes Martinez. On September 19, 2018, Li competed in her second Mae Young Classic. She defeated Karen Q in the opening round before falling to Deonna Purrazzo in the following round. Yes. Li only participated in NXT live events in 2017 and 2018 besides the Mae Young Classic.
Xia Li Beginnings in NXT (2019−2020)
Li made her first appearance on a main roster pay-per-view on January 27, 2019, at the Royal Rumble. She competed in the women’s Royal Rumble match at position 11 and lasted for 4:48 before Charlotte Flair eliminated her. Yes. She appeared on television for the first time on the NXT episode from February 20. Mia Yim defeated her in a singles match. She defeated Rachel Evers on the May 1 NXT programme to get her first televised victory. Yes. She engaged in a feud with Aliyah and Vanessa Borne in the middle of November, defeating them individually on the episodes of NXT airing on November 13 and 27, respectively. Following the latter episode, the NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir, and Jessamyn Duke attacked her. The following week, there was a non-title bout as a result, and Li lost to Baszler via submission.
On January 26, 2020, at the event bearing the same name, Li would take part in the women’s Royal Rumble match once more. Yes. She entered as number 24 and lasted 10:49 before being defeated by Shayna Baszler. On the NXT episode airing on February 26, Li and Mia Yim engaged in another fight. Yes. This time, Li prevailed by roll-up after Dakota Kai and Raquel González caused a distraction.
Xia Li Tian Sha (2020−2021)
Li and Jessi Kamea competed against Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro on the NXT episode airing on September 16; they lost, and Li wouldn’t shake their hands after the match. She participated in a battle royal the following week, which was won by Candice LeRae, to decide who would be the top challenger for the NXT Women’s Championship. Yes. On the NXT programme airing on September 30, Li competed against Carter, losing the bout and pushing her to the ground after receiving a hand from Carter. After losing a match the following week to Shotzi Blackheart, she was contacted by Boa, who handed her a letter and then followed him. Yes. Li lost to Catanzaro in a match on the NXT programme airing on October 21.
She turned heel by attacking her and Carter after the bout.
On January 6, 2021, during NXT’s New Year’s Evil special, a transformed Li made a triumphant comeback and defeated Katrina Cortez. Yes. The following week, she took down another jobber in two blows, but after receiving a silent command from her master on stage, Li tied up the foe and continued to attack her. On the NXT programme on February 10, Li quickly defeated Cora Jade. Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter tried to reason with her during and after the match but she assaulted them both for disrespecting her master Mei Ying.
Li attempted to defeat Raquel González in a match for the NXT Women’s Championship on the July 20 episode of NXT. She was hurt during the contest after a springboard senton splash, although she seemed fine thereafter.
Xia Li SmackDown (2021–present)
Li was selected by the SmackDown brand in the 2021 Draft. Yes. On the SmackDown programme from December 10 as a face, she made her main roster debut, defending Naomi as she fought off Sonya Deville, Natalya, and Shayna Baszler. Li defeated Natalya in the ring to make her SmackDown debut on February 25, 2022. Yes. After going dormant for several weeks, Li appeared in a segment on the SmackDown programme from April 22 and declared that nobody was worth protecting and that she was just concerned with defending herself.
Li participated in a six-pack challenge on the SmackDown programme airing on June 3 to determine who would be the top challenger for Natalya to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Yes. After losing against Lacey Evans the next week, she was disqualified from the Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. On the June 27 episode, Li made her debut on the Raw brand.
She competed in a Last Chance six-way elimination match to earn a spot in the Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match, but Becky Lynch eliminated her first. Li participated in a gauntlet match on the SmackDown programme from August 5 to determine who would challenge Liv Morgan for the SmackDown Women’s Championship, which was ultimately won by Baszler. She and Shotzi competed in the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Tournament the following week for the open tag belts, but were defeated by Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah.
Xia Li Debut
In December 2021, Xia Li made her Smackdown debut, defending Naomi from Sonya Deville, Natalya, and Shayna Baszler. With her intriguing gimmick as The Protector and her exciting entrance, complete with strobe lights, the future looked promising for her.
The 34-year-old had to wait over two solid months after making her main roster debut before she finally got to wrestle her first bout on SmackDown, though, as it quickly became clear that WWE wasn’t exactly sure what to do with her. Li won her first match against Natalya, something some NXT talents aren’t even allowed to do after they go up to the main roster, so it wasn’t all horrible, but it was quickly forgotten.
Li is a tremendously good wrestler, and she demonstrated this during her time in NXT, so it was puzzling and didn’t make much sense to delay main roster fans from witnessing what she can do for so long. It was clear straight away that the business didn’t place a lot of value on her, and her booking shortly afterward made it even clearer that she wouldn’t be a top priority for them.
Xia Li Finisher
Finishing and signature moves
- Cyclone Kick
- Spinning Heel kick
- Palm strikes
- Knife-edge chop
- Splits Leg Drop
- Crucifix Hold
- Swinging Neckbreaker
Xia Li Married
There is no information online about Xia Li’s romantic situation. Despite being quite active on social media, she has never discussed her dating life there.
Not even a single rumor about her dating another wrestler has surfaced. It is best to presume that she is still unmarried because there is no information about her romantic status available.
Xia Li Karate
Many of Li’s followers are unaware that she also owns a fitness centre. Sheamus was easily lifted by her in one of his films on his YouTube channel, demonstrating her strength (Celtic Warrior Workouts).
Xia Li Trained By WWE
It’s not unusual for NXT to sign people in their late 20s, despite the fact that it is now returning to its developmental brand status and the corporation is focused more on younger stars to become the future of WWE. Xia’s performance at a WWE audition in China a few years back was incredibly well received. Yes. The firm had to train her from scratch because she had no prior wrestling expertise.
Li has improved at wrestling in the WWE style, which is good. She is a homegrown talent, so the company will want her to succeed as well. Yes. This could even result in a few significant opportunities down the road.
Xia Li Injury
Raquel González and Xia Li’s NXT Women’s title fight was interrupted yesterday night so the trainer could examine Li, who had replaced the champion in this position. When given the all-clear to go, they quickly reached the end. Yes. It probably wasn’t fun to take Big Mami Cool’s one-arm powerbomb, especially because the public believed Xia had fractured a rib during the springboard senton.
But it was probably a good indicator that the medical personnel who checked on her allowed that to happen. Yes. Moreover, follow-up reports have been favorable.
The Tian Sha member “looked okay” backstage after the bout, according to Fightful Select’s sources. Yes. Despite one of the wrestlers not having the typical hoss build, Li vs. González nearly had the feel of a hoss bout. Although it wasn’t amazing, it was decent enough to pique my interest in how it might have turned out in the absence of the injury worry.
Once Xia has received formal clearance, we’ll see if they run it back. Yes. Although she may not be large, she has shown she is tough as nails.
Xia Li Storyline
Since making her main cast debut, Li hasn’t had a compelling storyline. The paucity of storylines Li has been a part of has made it even more difficult for her to truly endure herself to the public given the shoddy character work and hurried heel turn she was given.
Without an engaging storyline, the character doesn’t feel significant at all. Yes. It almost seems as if she hasn’t had any influence on the primary cast and isn’t participating in anything that viewers should really be interested in. Nothing conveys to viewers how little WWE truly regards a wrestler than treating them like a supporting actor who is simply around to fill out the division’s roster. Yes. The character had so many exciting, varied directions to go when she initially appeared on Smackdown. But she’s been left to sputter for virtually the whole run. Yes. This denied her the chance to demonstrate to the audience what an amazing worker she is.
FAQs on Xia Li
Does Xia Li know martial arts?
Xia co-founded her own fitness studio and has martial arts experience. Yes. Zhao has won first place awards in a number of martial arts and fitness contests, including the First China Throw Down: Battle on the Bund, Nike Challenge Competition, and the Second World Traditional Chinese Wushu Championship.
Is Xia Li Chinese?
Xia Li was born on July 28, 1988, in Chongqing, Sichuan, in China.
What happened to Xia Li?
Xia Li Could Have Suffered an Injury During Her Match With Lacey Evans on SmackDown. Yes. It appears that Xia Li may have actually suffered an injury during Friday night’s bout between her and Lacey Evans. Yes. If true, that would be a tragic loss. Yes. WWE Superstar Xia Li might have actually hurt herself during Friday’s SmackDown broadcast, according to initial reports.
Was Xia Li on SmackDown?
She competed in WWE NXT as both a baby face and a heel. It was before her selection for the main roster in the October 2021 WWE Draft. Yes. Li made her SmackDown debut as The Protector on December 10; she supported the WWE Women’s Champion as she dealt with Natalya, Shayna Baszler, and Sonya Deville.
Who is Xia Li WWE?
Xia Li has a history of shattering stereotypes as the first Chinese woman to compete in a WWE ring. Yes. Li impressed all with her talent scouts during a tryout in Shanghai. Yes. Then, the WWE Performance Center hired Li in January 2017. A few months later, she made her debut by competing in the first Mae Young Classic tournament.
