The Takedown | UFC: Zhang Weili and the rise of China’s first MMA superstar one year from Shenzhen title win
- ‘Magnum’ is a consummate professional, representing the motherland and the UFC with honour
- Zhang has shades of Canadian Georges St-Pierre, a traditional warrior mentality built on humbleness and appreciation
Unless Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje deliver a stunner at UFC 254 in October for the lightweight title, fight of the year honours will go to Zhang “Magnum” Weili and her absolute slugfest with Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
At UFC 248 in March in Las Vegas, the Chinese and Polish stars went toe to toe for five brutally beautiful rounds. They threw playbooks out the window and brawled, exchanging combinations with little regard for defence.
It was a classic, a brilliant masterpiece and Zhang’s split decision was well deserved. She earned the win and nobody was arguing the result given JJ’s head swelled up like a balloon.
The victory was the Chinese superstar’s first defence of the strawweight belt after beating Jessica Andrade a year ago in Shenzhen. That fight was a quick one, with Zhang going full beast mode for 41 seconds, throwing kicks, landing blows, coming at Andrade with knees and a relentless fervour.
It was quite clear Zhang did not want the first ever UFC fight in Shenzhen go to waste. She did what champions do, showed up when it mattered and gave her fans something to cheer about.
