Lawrence Lui: VS Hector Santiago| MMA| UFC 325| Parents

Lawrence Lui vs Hector Santiago: UFC Fight Details

Lawrence Lui is one of the latest prospects from New Zealand’s highly regarded City Kickboxing system to make his mark in the UFC. On August 29, 2026, Lui faced Hector Santiago in a bantamweight bout at UFC Shanghai.

The matchup was especially significant because both fighters were making their official UFC debuts. Lui entered the contest with an 8-1 professional MMA record, while Santiago arrived with a 6-1 record and an aggressive knockout style.

The fight ultimately ended with Santiago scoring a second-round knockout at 53 seconds, handing Lui his second professional defeat.

Who Is Lawrence Lui?

Lawrence Lui, nicknamed “Lok Yin,” is a professional mixed martial artist from New Zealand. The UFC lists him as a bantamweight and records his place of birth as Hong Kong.

Lui has built his MMA career at City Kickboxing, the Auckland-based gym that has produced several prominent UFC fighters. He turned professional in 2021 after developing his skills in both striking and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Before reaching the UFC, Lui won the Shuriken Fight Series bantamweight title and became a standout competitor in the Road to UFC tournament.

His official UFC profile lists four professional knockout victories and a five-fight winning streak entering his UFC debut.

Lawrence Lui MMA Record

Heading into the Hector Santiago fight, Lawrence Lui had an 8-1 professional MMA record.

His UFC profile highlighted:

• Professional record: 8-1-0 entering UFC debut
• Division: Bantamweight
• Age: 30
• Height: 5-foot-7
• Reach: 72.5 inches
• Fighting style: MMA
• Team: City Kickboxing
• Knockout wins: 4
• First-round finishes: 1
• Professional debut: 2021

Lui’s last fight before facing Santiago was his Road to UFC bantamweight final against Sulangrangbo at UFC 325 in Sydney. He won that fight by split decision and secured his place in the UFC.

Lawrence Lui at UFC 325

One important detail about Lawrence Lui’s UFC history is that UFC 325 was not his official UFC debut.

Instead, UFC 325 in Sydney was the event where Lui competed in the Road to UFC bantamweight final against Sulangrangbo. He won the three-round fight by split decision.

That victory earned Lui a UFC contract and set up his official Octagon debut against Hector Santiago in Shanghai. UFC.com described the Sydney fight as the moment Lui “punched his ticket to the big time.”

Therefore, searches for “Lawrence Lui UFC 325” refer primarily to his Road to UFC tournament final rather than his first official UFC fight.

Lawrence Lui vs Hector Santiago

The matchup with Hector Santiago presented a major stylistic challenge.

Lui entered with a well-rounded MMA game developed at City Kickboxing. Santiago, meanwhile, came from a striking background and had a reputation for looking for the knockout.

Santiago previously competed in professional kickboxing and boxing before moving into MMA. The UFC lists him as a kickboxer and says he had five knockout victories among his six professional wins before his UFC debut.

Santiago had specifically studied Lui before the bout. In an interview with MMA Fighting, Santiago noted that Lui had shown both striking and grappling in previous fights and believed he needed to prepare for both versions of the New Zealander.

That preparation proved effective.

Result

Hector Santiago defeated Lawrence Lui by KO (punches), Round 2, 0:53.

The result gave Santiago an impressive victory in his UFC debut and moved Lui’s professional record to 8-2.

Lawrence Lui Background and Where He Is From

Although Lui represents New Zealand, he was born in Hong Kong.

His family moved from Hong Kong to New Zealand in 1999 when Lui was only two years old. He was subsequently raised in Auckland and has described New Zealand as the place he has always known as home.

His journey into MMA was not an overnight decision. Lui initially became interested in combat sports through his brother, who started training while in high school.

Lui later experimented with Brazilian jiu-jitsu before becoming more seriously involved in MMA.

Lawrence Lui Parents

Lawrence Lui’s family story has been an important part of his journey, although his parents have largely remained out of the public spotlight.

A recent profile by Canta revealed that Lui’s mother has supported his fighting career and watches his bouts. His brother has also regularly attended his fights. Lui said his father was initially less involved and did not always attend his fights, although that changed over time.

The same profile reported that Lui’s relationship with his parents has been complicated at times. He has spoken about those family experiences as one of the motivations that helped shape his mindset as a fighter.

Because his parents are private individuals, reliable public sources do not provide extensive information about their names, occupations or personal lives. It is therefore better not to repeat unverified claims circulating online.

Lawrence Lui Education

Lui also has an academic background outside MMA.

According to his UFC profile, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Auckland.

His path to professional fighting included a period when he stepped away from training while studying civil engineering.

Eventually, he returned to serious MMA training and joined City Kickboxing in Auckland. That decision ultimately changed the direction of his career.

Lawrence Lui and City Kickboxing

City Kickboxing has played a central role in Lui’s development.

The Auckland gym is internationally recognized for producing elite MMA fighters, and Lui joined the gym in 2016. His UFC profile confirms City Kickboxing as his training camp.

Training alongside experienced fighters helped Lui develop a more complete MMA style. His record before entering the UFC demonstrated that he could win through both striking and grappling.

In June 2026, he also earned his Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, adding another milestone to his development as a mixed martial artist.

What Happened to Lawrence Lui Against Hector Santiago?

Lawrence Lui suffered a second-round knockout loss to Hector Santiago at UFC Shanghai on August 29, 2026.

The defeat ended Lui’s five-fight winning streak. Santiago stopped him at 53 seconds of the second round with punches.

Despite the setback, the fight marked the beginning of Lui’s official UFC career. His Road to UFC victory had already demonstrated his ability to compete at a high level, and the loss to Santiago does not erase the accomplishments that earned him his UFC opportunity.

Lawrence Lui’s UFC Future

Lui’s UFC career is now at an early stage.

The 30-year-old has already experienced the pressure of a major UFC event, won the Road to UFC tournament and made his official Octagon debut. His next challenge will be recovering from the Santiago defeat and rebuilding momentum in the bantamweight division.

His combination of striking experience, grappling ability, long reach for the division and City Kickboxing training gives him several tools to work with.

A comeback victory in his next UFC appearance could quickly put him back on the radar as an interesting New Zealand prospect.

Lawrence Lui vs Hector Santiago: Key Facts

The official UFC and fight records list Lui at 8-1 before the bout and Santiago at 6-1. MMA Fighting lists their respective heights as 5-foot-7 and 5-foot-4.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lawrence Lui in the UFC?

Yes. Lawrence Lui is a UFC bantamweight fighter. He earned his UFC opportunity by winning the Road to UFC bantamweight tournament final at UFC 325.

Did Lawrence Lui fight at UFC 325?

Yes. Lui fought Sulangrangbo at UFC 325 in Sydney in the Road to UFC bantamweight final. He won by split decision. His official UFC debut came later against Hector Santiago in Shanghai.

Who won Lawrence Lui vs Hector Santiago?

Hector Santiago defeated Lawrence Lui by second-round knockout at UFC Shanghai on August 29, 2026.

What is Lawrence Lui’s MMA record?

Lui entered his UFC debut with an 8-1 professional record. After losing to Santiago by second-round KO, his record became 8-2.

Where is Lawrence Lui from?

Lui was born in Hong Kong and moved with his family to New Zealand in 1999 when he was two years old. He was raised in Auckland.

Who are Lawrence Lui’s parents?

Lui has discussed his parents in interviews, particularly his mother’s support for his fighting career and his father’s changing relationship with his MMA journey. However, detailed personal information about his parents is not widely documented by reliable sources.

Final Thoughts

Lawrence Lui’s journey to the UFC is a story of persistence, family challenges, education and combat-sports development. Born in Hong Kong and raised in Auckland, he progressed from Brazilian jiu-jitsu and amateur competition to becoming a Road to UFC winner and City Kickboxing prospect.

His UFC debut against Hector Santiago ended in disappointment, with Santiago scoring a second-round knockout. However, Lui’s career is still in its early stages. His previous five-fight winning streak, Road to UFC championship and well-rounded skill set provide a foundation for a potential comeback.

For now, the Santiago fight is an important learning experience as Lawrence Lui begins the next chapter of his UFC career.