Weili Zhang News
VIDEO | Weili Zhang trains with Muay Thai legend Saenchai
Tom Taylor - February 7, 2020
Amid the rampant spread of the headline-dominating Coronavirus, Chinese UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang has moved her training from her native China to Bangkok, Thailand. In Bangkok, Zhang crossed paths with an absolute legend in Saenchai, widely regarded as one of the greatest Muay Thai fighters of all time — and certainly one of the flashiest.
Valentina Shevchenko says Weili Zhang became champ due to 'lucky circumstances', not interested in potential superfight
Cole Shelton - February 4, 2020
Valentina Shevchenko believes Weili Zhang doesn’t deserve the chance to fight her for the women’s flyweight championship. After Zhang beat Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen back in August, she spoke about wanting to move up and fight Shevchenko. Yet, the flyweight champion says Zhang only became a UFC champ because of lucky circumstances.
Weili Zhang will leave China due to coronavirus outbreak, finish UFC 248 camp in Las Vegas
Adam D Martin - February 2, 2020
UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang has decided to head to leave Beijing and head to Las Vegas to complete her training camp for UFC 248. Zhang is set to take on rival Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248, taking place on March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Zhang had planned on finishing her training camp in her native Beijing, China, but due to the coronavirus outbreak which has left hundreds dead and thousands more in hospitals, she has decided to head to Las Vegas, Nevada to finish her camp.
Weili Zhang responds to Joanna Jedrzejczyk's joke about coronavirus
Adam Martin - January 29, 2020
UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang has responded to a joke that Joanna Jedrzejczyk made about the coronavirus outbreak in China. Jedrzejczyk posted an Instagram story earlier this week in which she shared a picture of herself and Zhang as the two are set to collide in March at UFC 248 for the women’s strawweight belt. But she included one extra thing in the picture, and that’s a gas mask. It’s clearly poking fun at Zhang for being Chinese, which is where the coronavirus is affecting thousands of people, and where numerous people have died from it.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk says she will dominate 'not very technical' Weili Zhang
Cole Shelton - January 3, 2020
Joanna Jedrzejczyk believes she will dominate Weili Zhang at UFC 248 in March en route to reclaiming her strawweight title. Since losing the title in 2017 she beat Tecia Torres and then moved up in weight where she lost to Valentina Shevchenko in a fight for the flyweight title. Following the loss, she returned to strawweight in October to beat Michelle Waterson to earn the title shot.
Dana White believes Weili Zhang can be 'one of the biggest stars' in UFC history
Cole Shelton - December 30, 2019
Dana White believes current UFC strawweight champion, Weili Zhang can be one of the biggest stars in UFC history. Zhang had a massive 2019 where she dominated Tecia Torres at UFC 235 and then headlined a UFC event in her home country of China. There, she was taking on Jessica Andrade for the title. She ended up knocking out the Brazilian out in under a minute to become the UFC champ.
Weili Zhang says she will 'fight Joanna in Joanna’s way'
Tom Taylor - December 24, 2019
Weili Zhang is gearing up to defend her UFC strawweight title against the former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248 this March. While Zhang’s camp for Jedrzejczyk is just getting underway, she says this a fight she’s been preparing for for years. “I have known about Joanna for a very long time, even before I was in the UFC,” Zhang told Mathew Scott of the South China Morning Post. “I have been preparing for her, and for this fight, for a long time. I know how she moves and how she fights. I always knew that one day we would meet inside the Octagon. I am preparing everything. I am ready.”
Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk opening betting odds revealed
Adam Martin - December 19, 2019
The opening betting odds have been released for the upcoming title fight at UFC 248 between UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang and rival Joanna Jedrzejczyk. The UFC recently announced that Zhang will take on Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248, which is set for March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout is expected to serve as the co-main event of the card, with another title fight headlining the event.
Dan Lambert expects Joanna Jedrzejczyk to fight Weili Zhang in early 2020
Cole Shelton - November 25, 2019
Joanna Jedrzejczyk is expected to fight strawweight champion Weili Zhang in early 2020. When Jedrzejczyk fought Michelle Waterson at UFC Tampa, the expectation was that she would get a title shot with a win. She ended up earning a dominant decision win, so for American Top Team owner Dan Lambert and everyone at Jedrzejczyk’s training headquarters of American Top Team, it’s now just a question of when it happens.
Weili Zhang confident she'll finish Joanna Jedrzejczyk early
Harry Kettle - November 22, 2019
UFC Strawweight Champion Weili Zhang is confident that she’ll be able to get Joanna Jedrzejczyk out of there early if they wind up fighting for the title in 2020. Zhang is still riding a strong wave of momentum after capturing the title by defeating Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen. It took her to 4-0 in the UFC and 20-1 overall, confirming her status as the first ever UFC champion to come from China.
Dana White seemingly confirms Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrezjczyk
Adam Martin - November 19, 2019
UFC president Dana White has seemingly confirmed that UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang will fight Joanna Jedrzejczyk next. Zhang and Jedrzejczyk have been going hard at each other recently on social media, and the rivalry reached a tipping point when Jedrzejczyk recently told Zhang that she was willing to travel to China to “beat the sh*t out of her.”
Weili Zhang responds to Joanna Jedrzejczyk: 'I am ready now'
Adam Martin - November 18, 2019
UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang says she is ready to defend her title against Joanna Jedrzejczyk and wants the UFC to book the fight immediately. Jedrzejczyk recently spoke to the South China Morning Post and said she is willing to fight Zhang anywhere — even in China.
Weili Zhang wants Valentina Shevchenko next, if not she'll go and 'beat' Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Cole Shelton - October 21, 2019
Weili Zhang has set her eyes on current UFC flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko. Zhang is looking to become another champ-champ in the UFC after just winning the strawweight belt back in August. Why she wants to fight Shevchenko is simple. She wants to fight the best and she believes the 125-pound champion is just that. Yet, if that scrap can not come to fruition, she is fine taking on Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Weili Zhang criticises former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Harry Kettle - October 18, 2019
UFC Strawweight Champion Weili Zhang has ripped into the former queen of the division Joanna Jedrzejczyk ahead of a potential fight between the two. Zhang (20-1) is coming off the back of a memorable TKO victory over Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen which served as her coronation as the first-ever Chinese champion in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Maycee Barber believes she'd beat Valentina Shevchenko and 'dominate' Weili Zhang right now
Cole Shelton - October 16, 2019
Maycee Barber will return to the Octagon at UFC Boston on Friday looking to stay undefeated. She is currently 7-0 and just 21-years-old and has been vocal about breaking Jon Jones’ record of being the UFC’s youngest champion. On Friday, she can take another step forward if she beats Gillian Robertson. Although she is not ranked in the top-10 at flyweight, the 21-year-old believes she would beat current division titleholder, Valentina Shevchenko, right now.
Weili Zhang has US visa approved
Adam Martin - October 11, 2019
UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang has finally had her US visa approved, paving the way for her next fight to be in the United States. It was recently revealed that Zhang was having issued acquiring a US visa due to the recent conflicts in China. It looked like Zhang was going to have issues getting a visa, but according to Damon Martin of MMAFighting.com, that won’t be a hurdle any longer.
Dana White: Weili Zhang's next opponent will 'depend on a lot of things'
Thomas Taylor - September 5, 2019
Not long after Weili Zhang captured the UFC strawweight belt with a first-round stoppage of Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen, fans began to speculate as to who might provide the new champ’s first challenge. UFC President Dana White seems to be undecided on that. Speaking to ESPN this week, White was asked who might serve as Zhang’s new opponent. The frontrunners would seem to be the undefeated Tatiana Suarez, the former champion Rose Namajunas, or the winner of the upcoming fight between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Michelle Waterson.
Weili Zhang calls out Henry Cejudo, says she will take his 'gold back to Beijing'
Cole Shelton - September 4, 2019
Weili Zhang is ready for a fight with current UFC men’s flyweight and bantamweight champion, Henry Cejudo. Zhang is the UFC’s new women’s strawweight champion after knocking out Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen in 42-seconds. For Cejudo, he has been calling out a couple of different female fighters and the new Chinese champion just so happened to be one of them.