Il Nuovo Postiglione - A healer and a fighter: The double life of UFC star Shi Ming

Shi shot to fame in November when she won a contract with UFC with a devastating kick that saw Chinese compatriot Feng Xiaocan carried out of the octagon on a stretcher.

There was no trace of that ferocity in the demure, softly spoken figure AFP met last week ahead of her UFC debut.

Dressed in baby pink with large round glasses resting gently on her nose, Shi said she has to "brainwash" herself before each fight to overcome her instinct not to cause harm.

"I do hold back a little," the 30-year-old said.

"In several past matches I didn't finish someone off when I had the chance, which allowed my opponents to recover and nearly reverse the outcome."

"I need to adjust myself for every match, not overthinking things. Before each competition I always brainwash myself to stay focused on the match," she added.

The ruthless victory over Feng in Macau propelled her into the mixed martial arts (MMA) spotlight, in the process also revealing her other life to her parents, who had been unaware she was involved in the sport at all.

On Friday thousands of Chinese fans packed a Shanghai arena to rally behind her, cheering loudly every time she landed a strike.

Shi ultimately lost by decision, but still received a huge ovation, with fans screaming "Go Dr Shi!" as she bowed gratefully.

- 'Under pressure' -

The diminutive fighter still works full-time in her home city of Kunming, in southwest Yunnan province.

"I still prioritise my medical work and only focus on training after I finish all my duties," she said.

Her days typically begin at the hospital, where she consults patients, prescribes medicine and performs acupuncture.

Once work is finished, she spends hours training at a wrestling club alongside amateurs from all walks of life.

As a child she practised taekwondo and the Chinese fighting system sanda, only starting MMA as a young adult.

Physically, Shi does not fit the image of a professional fighter.

She describes herself as near-sighted, without a long reach and short -- her opponent on Friday, Bruna Brasil, was four inches taller than her.

"People used to assume I would lose," she said.

"I'm under a lot of pressure these days. I feel like if I lose now, I might disappoint a lot of people."

Despite still not fully understanding the sport and worrying about injury her parents support her unconditionally.

In a recent UFC interview, her mother tearfully recalled Shi's teenage training years.

"It hasn't been easy for her to persist until now," she said. "I'm incredibly proud and comforted by how far she's come."

- Dual paths -

Shi told AFP she would not be giving up her day job anytime soon.

The reliable income allows her to fund her MMA training and coaching.

"I never put all my eggs in one basket," she said.

"I find joy in both practising medicine and fighting."

Healing runs in her family -- both her grandparents were doctors -- and she often treats her own fight injuries with acupuncture.

"When I was young... I helped in (my grandparents') clinic every holiday and I wanted to be a doctor from then on," she said.

"I think it's a job that is very respected and can help my friends and family."

But she said she might consider focusing more on MMA if she climbs up the UFC rankings.

After her loss on Friday she said she felt she had "let the whole of China down".

But fans on social media were undeterred.

"Dr Shi squeezes in training between giving injections. Reaching this level as a part-timer is already top-tier," read one comment.

"She's only going to get stronger!"

A.Riccobono--INP