https://www.scmp.com/rss/510582/feed Zhang Weili is a Chinese mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who competes in the UFC. She won the UFC strawweight title in August 2019, becoming China's first UFC champion by beating Jessica Andrade by first-round TKO. Zhang defend her title in a five-round split decision against former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in March 2020, a bout that earned unanimous fight of the year honours. She lost the title to Rose Namajunas at UFC 261 in April 2021, when the American won a first-round TKO. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alice Yan Alice Yan China’s top woman shot put athlete has ignited an online debate about female stereotypes after saying that she plans to lose weight, become beautiful and get married after she retires. Gong Lijiao, 36, shared her life goals with the state media CCTV on November 23, shortly after announcing her retirement from sport. She won the National Games championship, the country’s highest level comprehensive sports event, in mid-November, topping off a career which began 25 years ago. Gong, from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3334077/china-olympic-champion-plans-shed-25kg-upon-retirement-pursuing-marriage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3334077/china-olympic-champion-plans-shed-25kg-upon-retirement-pursuing-marriage?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 08:00:10 +0000 Lars Hamer,Agence France-Presse Lars Hamer,Agence France-Presse Chinese mixed martial arts superstar Zhang Weili said on Thursday she was confident of the sport’s future in China after Ultimate Fighting Championship announced its first event on the mainland since the Covid-19 pandemic. Zhang, the first Chinese fighter to win a UFC title and the current strawweight champion, is the face of MMA on the mainland, where millions of dollars have been poured into the sport’s top promotion. The UFC said on Thursday that back-to-back events would be taking place over... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3311422/chinese-mma-star-zhang-weili-keen-wow-home-crowd-first-mainland-post-covid-ufc-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3311422/chinese-mma-star-zhang-weili-keen-wow-home-crowd-first-mainland-post-covid-ufc-event?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 12:26:23 +0000 Not for nothing is the FIRST International Film Festival oft-referred to as “China’s Sundance”, after the legendary indie-cinema love-in, founded by Robert Redford and held every year in the US state of Utah. And like Sundance, you make your way to the city of Xining, in central China, if you want to catch up with the latest trends in Chinese independent cinema. Perhaps take in experimental films that reflect the issues facing the youth of today, maybe get a chance to mingle with some of the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/film-tv/article/3276504/unstoppable-asias-first-female-ufc-champion-zhang-weilis-story-told-gripping-new-documentary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/film-tv/article/3276504/unstoppable-asias-first-female-ufc-champion-zhang-weilis-story-told-gripping-new-documentary?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Aug 2024 06:45:09 +0000 Joe Rogan said Zhang Weili showed she “might be the greatest of all time” in women’s MMA after a dominant victory over Amanda Lemos, with UFC president Dana White admitting she will “probably” fight in China again next. The Chinese star retained her strawweight title in the co-main event of UFC 292 via a lopsided unanimous decision, with scores of 50-43, 50-44, and 49-45, from the three cageside judges at TD Garden in Boston. She also put up the largest ever strike differential – 288 to Lemos’... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3231694/ufc-292-zhang-weili-might-be-greatest-all-time-joe-rogan-says-dana-white-plots-china-return?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3231694/ufc-292-zhang-weili-might-be-greatest-all-time-joe-rogan-says-dana-white-plots-china-return?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Aug 2023 08:07:50 +0000 Zhang Weili is hopeful of defending her new UFC strawweight title in China after reclaiming the belt in New York on Saturday night. The 33-year-old “Magnum” submitted Carla Esparza in the UFC 281 co-main event at Madison Square Garden. UFC president Dana White could not help but wear a big smile when discussing Zhang’s win at the post-event press conference, given one of his key markets now has a fighter with gold around her waist again. “What you need to have to ignite a market is a badass... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3199501/zhang-weili-wants-ufc-pay-view-china-one-billion-mma-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3199501/zhang-weili-wants-ufc-pay-view-china-one-billion-mma-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Nov 2022 03:43:14 +0000 Zhang Weili’s long road back to the title came to a sweet conclusion, with the Chinese MMA superstar submitting Carla Esparza in the second round of a ruthless Madison Square Garden masterclass on Saturday night. There also was a dramatic finale in New York, with the long-reigning middleweight champion Israel Adesanya dethroned in dramatic fashion by his personal boogeyman, the Brazilian Alex Pereira, in the fifth round. Mercilessly booed 18 months ago in Florida when she lost the belt to Rose... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3199441/ufc-281-zhang-weili-submits-carla-esparza-reclaim-strawweight-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3199441/ufc-281-zhang-weili-submits-carla-esparza-reclaim-strawweight-title?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Nov 2022 05:25:28 +0000 China’s Zhang Weili is set to challenge for strawweight gold at UFC 281 on November 12 in New York City, according to the division’s champion Carla Esparza. Esparza revealed the match-up on her Twitter account early Friday morning, calling it “official”– which implies that contracts are signed, at least on her end. Zhang (22-3) has been considered the No 1 contender at strawweight since she scored a highlight-reel knockout victory over decorated former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in Singapore in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3189520/ufc-281-carla-esparza-reveals-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3189520/ufc-281-carla-esparza-reveals-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Aug 2022 09:25:47 +0000 China’s Zhang Weili does not seem bothered by the recent comments of Carla Esparza – something in fitting with the recent changes she has made to her mindset, to go along with her physical adjustments in the UFC Octagon. Zhang, the former strawweight champion, returned to action at UFC 275 in Singapore this month, scoring a highlight-reel knockout over retiring MMA legend Joanna Jedrzejczyk. The victory guaranteed the 32-year-old a crack at reigning strawweight queen Carla Esparza – company... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3182701/ufc-zhang-weili-says-she-blocking-out-trolls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3182701/ufc-zhang-weili-says-she-blocking-out-trolls?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jun 2022 13:28:34 +0000 Weili Zhang is already back to training, and her fans in China are making sure she feels supported. The Chinese MMA superstar returned to the Octagon at UFC 275 last Sunday in Singapore, scoring a highlight-reel knockout over the retiring Joanna Jedrzejczyk. The victory cemented her as the strawweight division’s No 1 contender, and she is expected to receive a shot at champion Carla Esparza later this year. Zhang did much of her training for UFC 275 at the new Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA facility in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181921/ufc-zhang-weili-already-back-training-bangtao?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181921/ufc-zhang-weili-already-back-training-bangtao?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jun 2022 08:32:23 +0000 Zhang Weili picked up one of the most important victories of her career at last Sunday’s UFC 275 event in Singapore, but you wouldn’t know it based on the post-fight headlines. The Chinese star, 32, was back in action in the middle bout of the event’s main card, taking on a fellow former strawweight champ in Joanna Jedrzejczyk. It was the second time the pair had met, after Zhang defeated her 34-year-old Polish rival by decision in an all-time classic back in 2020. The second time around, Zhang... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181830/zhang-weilis-stunning-ufc-275-ko-overshadowed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181830/zhang-weilis-stunning-ufc-275-ko-overshadowed?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jun 2022 13:12:03 +0000 UFC women’s strawweight champion Carla Esparza is in no rush to return to the Octagon any time soon. The newly crowned champ shut down the suggestion by Zhang Weili for an October clash for the women’s strawweight title, after the Chinese MMA superstar defeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 275 in Singapore to cement her No 1 contender spot. “I definitely don’t feel like I’m in a position where I should rush just because Weili wants a certain date,” Esparza told the New York Post. “I’m not trying to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181761/ufc-carla-esparza-tells-zhang-weili-im?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181761/ufc-carla-esparza-tells-zhang-weili-im?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jun 2022 05:37:45 +0000 Upsets. Stunning knockouts. Title changes. Controversy. A legend retiring. UFC 275 truly had it all, and it will go down as one for the ages, in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,787 on Sunday morning, producing a Singapore Indoor Stadium record gate of US$1,546,732. The event was capped by a sure-fire future Hall of Fame main event between Glover Teixeira and Jiri Prochazka, who won the light heavyweight title via a dramatic fifth-round rear naked choke with just 28 seconds remaining. Oh, and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181402/ufc-275-singapore-one-ages-dramatic-card-caps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181402/ufc-275-singapore-one-ages-dramatic-card-caps?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jun 2022 09:10:32 +0000 Chinese MMA superstar Zhang Weili is hoping to challenge Carla Esparza for the UFC strawweight title this autumn. Zhang, the division’s former champion, returned to the Octagon on the main card of the action-packed UFC 275 card on Sunday morning in Singapore, taking on Poland’s Joanna Jedrzejczyk. She won the fight with a highlight-reel knockout in the second round, cementing herself as the next woman in line for a crack at Esparza in the process. The Chinese fighter is hoping to challenge the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181400/ufc-275-zhang-weili-calls-october-title-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181400/ufc-275-zhang-weili-calls-october-title-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jun 2022 08:18:48 +0000 Chinese history-maker Zhang Weili and two world title fights headline the return of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to Asia on Sunday after a break of more than two years because of Covid-19. Former strawweight champions Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland are set to battle at UFC 275 in Singapore in a rematch of their March 2020 clash which UFC president Dana White calls “the greatest fight ever”. Much has changed since the pair fought each other to a bloody standstill across five... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181317/ufc-275-chinese-trailblazer-zhang-weili?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3181317/ufc-275-chinese-trailblazer-zhang-weili?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jun 2022 03:14:14 +0000 China’s Zhang Weili is promising fireworks in her UFC 275 rematch against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at Singapore Indoor Stadium next month – which fans of the strawweight division will surely welcome. The clash between the two former champions, who put on 2020’s Fight of the Year the first time around, should act as a panacea of sorts to fans still fuming over last weekend’s dull UFC 274 title fight. Carla Esparza snatched the belt from Rose Namajunas via split decision in Phoenix, Arizona, though... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3177291/ufc-275-zhang-weili-promises-exciting-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3177291/ufc-275-zhang-weili-promises-exciting-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 May 2022 05:24:58 +0000 Zhang Weili has insisted it makes “no big difference” that her UFC 275 rematch with Joanna Jedrzejczyk in Singapore will be limited to just three rounds. The two former strawweight champions went the full distance over five rounds in their legendary 2020 Fight of the Year, where China’s “Magnum” edged a split decision in Las Vegas to secure her first successful title defence. But when the South China Morning Post asked Zhang in a virtual press conference whether she would prefer to go 25... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3177141/ufc-275-zhang-weili-turned-down-chance-5?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3177141/ufc-275-zhang-weili-turned-down-chance-5?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 May 2022 05:15:23 +0000 UFC president Dana White is in no rush to book a third fight between strawweight stars Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas. Esparza defeated Namajunas for a second time to claim the promotion’s strawweight belt in the co-main event of UFC 274 in Phoenix, Arizona, with a split decision win. But the fight was almost completely devoid of action, and panned by cage-side commentators as one of the worst in UFC history. White did not enjoy it any more than the broadcast team did. 🗣 BY SPLIT... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3177000/ufc-274-dana-white-shuts-trilogy-between?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3177000/ufc-274-dana-white-shuts-trilogy-between?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 May 2022 03:45:12 +0000 Joanna Jedrzejczyk expects China’s Zhang Weili to be on top form in their upcoming rematch, and is preparing accordingly. The two former strawweight champions fight on the main card of the UFC 275 event on June 11 in Singapore, a rematch of a 2020 fight that Zhang won by unanimous decision to defend the strawweight title – a fight that still stands out as one of the greatest of all time. As the sequel approaches, Poland’s Jedrzejczyk is forecasting another tough fight with her Chinese rival. “I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3176261/ufc-275-joanna-jedrzejczyk-expecting-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3176261/ufc-275-joanna-jedrzejczyk-expecting-zhang?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 May 2022 10:30:19 +0000 UFC president Dana White has suggested Zhang Weili’s highly-anticipated rematch with Joanna Jedrzejczyk in Singapore in June could be contested over five rounds. The two former strawweight champions put on a battle for the ages in their 2020 Fight of the Year, when China’s Zhang retained the belt with a split decision. Arguably the greatest women’s MMA fight of all time, a second stanza may feel somewhat anticlimactic without a belt on the line, which normally limits a fight to three rounds in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3173752/ufc-273-dana-white-suggests-zhang-weilis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3173752/ufc-273-dana-white-suggests-zhang-weilis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Apr 2022 08:05:33 +0000 UFC 275 already has two title fights at the top of the card. But the stacked Singapore pay-per-view just added what many may consider the unofficial “people’s main event” with Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk set to run back their epic battle. UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell confirmed to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi on Friday that both women have verbally agreed to fight on June 11 at Singapore Indoor Stadium, and that bout agreements will be sent out soon. The event will be headlined by a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3173705/ufc-275-zhang-weili-joanna-jedrzejczyk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3173705/ufc-275-zhang-weili-joanna-jedrzejczyk?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Apr 2022 13:06:01 +0000 Long-time UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s classic is a perfect example of what sets MMA apart from other sports. Zhang and Jedrzejczyk met at UFC 248 two years ago on March 7, 2020, just days before the coronavirus pandemic took hold of the world. China’s Zhang was the strawweight champion at the time, while her Polish foe was looking to reclaim the title after losing it to Rose Namajunas in 2017. The bout, which Zhang won via hard-fought decision, is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3169742/ufc-joe-rogan-says-zhang-weili-vs-joanna?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3169742/ufc-joe-rogan-says-zhang-weili-vs-joanna?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Mar 2022 15:21:35 +0000 Zhang Weili is not sitting around feeling sorry for herself after the crushing lows she experienced in 2021. “I think it would be ‘change’,” Zhang said in an interview with People Magazine in China, when asked for one word to sum up her year. The first Chinese champion is UFC history surrendered her UFC strawweight title after a devastating first-round head kick from Rose Namajunas in April, and came up just short in a split decision defeat by the American in their November rematch. “Nothing is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3163328/ufc-zhang-weili-says-im-new-me-after-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3163328/ufc-zhang-weili-says-im-new-me-after-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Jan 2022 01:27:38 +0000 China’s Zhang Weili is beginning to chart a course back to the UFC’s Octagon. The 32-year-old “Magnum” (21-3) last fought at UFC 268 in November, losing a split decision to Rose Namajunas in a failed bid to reclaim the strawweight belt she surrendered to the American “Thug” in April. Not everyone agreed with the judges’ decision, but in hindsight, Zhang said she believes her loss was justified. “I think yes, I agree with [the decision],” she said in an interview with Migu, the UFC’s official... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3159723/ufc-zhang-weili-plans-us-return-after-lunar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3159723/ufc-zhang-weili-plans-us-return-after-lunar?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Dec 2021 18:07:23 +0000 Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk tuned in for Rose Namajunas and Weili Zhang’s recent championship rematch, and it’s safe to say she liked what she saw. Namajunas (11-4) and Zhang (21-3) met in the co-main event of UFC 268 on November 6 in New York City. The bout was a rematch of an early 2021 fight that Namajunas won by first-round knockout to capture the championship. In the end, Namajunas also won the sequel, but by a much thinner margin, retaining her title with a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3156525/ufc-joanna-jedrzejczyk-reacts-rose-namajunas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3156525/ufc-joanna-jedrzejczyk-reacts-rose-namajunas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Nov 2021 14:00:12 +0000 Zhang Weili’s rematch with Rose Namajunas at UFC 268 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York seemed like a make-or-break moment for the promotion’s first bona fide Chinese star. After a split-decision loss to the American “Thug” (11-4), the 32-year-old Zhang (21-3) now has two straight losses, with the strawweight title – which at one point she looked like she may hold for years – firmly out of her grasp for now. “How far away is she from a title shot?” UFC president Dana White... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155158/zhang-weilis-gutsy-ufc-268-performance-proves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155158/zhang-weilis-gutsy-ufc-268-performance-proves?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Nov 2021 11:45:20 +0000 UFC president Dana White had money riding on Saul “Canelo” Alvarez for his boxing match against Caleb Plant in Las Vegas, and made sure not to miss the action – despite being cageside for his own event in New York. The Canelo-Plant bout went down at the same time as Saturday night’s UFC 268 card at Madison Square Garden, overlapping with the strawweight title fight between champion Rose Namajunas and challenger Zhang Weili. Dana White watching #CaneloPlant during #UFC268 at Madison Square... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155260/ufc-268-dana-white-watched-canelo-alvarez?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155260/ufc-268-dana-white-watched-canelo-alvarez?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Nov 2021 06:21:33 +0000 Chinese MMA superstar Zhang Weili has shared an inspirational message with her fans following a razor-close split decision loss to strawweight champion Rose Namajunas at Saturday night’s UFC 268 card in New York City. Zhang’s decision loss to Namajunas marked her second-straight setback against the American, after succumbing to a first-round knockout at UFC 261 in April. While “Magnum” (21-3) now finds herself on treacherous terrain, with two losses to her division‘s reigning champion, her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155252/ufc-268-zhang-weili-sends-fans-inspirational?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155252/ufc-268-zhang-weili-sends-fans-inspirational?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Nov 2021 05:36:41 +0000 Saturday night’s UFC 268 co-main event was nothing like the hostile environment Zhang Weili faced in Jacksonville, Florida for her first fight against Rose Namajunas. But there were still some fans inside Madison Square Garden who jeered the Chinese former champion (21-3), who pushed American Namajunas (10-4) all the way but fell just short in a split decision loss. Zhang revealed before the rematch that her team had been simulating the atmosphere from UFC 261 in April during her training... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155206/ufc-268-zhang-weili-says-fans-boo-her-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155206/ufc-268-zhang-weili-says-fans-boo-her-not?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Nov 2021 14:22:18 +0000 Zhang Weili’s split decision defeat by Rose Namajunas in their rematch for the strawweight title at UFC 268 dominated Chinese social media on Sunday, with hundreds of millions of reads on Weibo. Former NBA star Jeremy Lin, who is back with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association, was among those to show support for the former UFC champion after her close loss in New York. “You are great! I personally think you should win 48-47 but I am not a referee,” Lin wrote in Chinese on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155183/jeremy-lin-says-zhang-weili-should-win-ufc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155183/jeremy-lin-says-zhang-weili-should-win-ufc?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Nov 2021 10:17:34 +0000 Chinese mixed martial arts superstar Zhang Weili suffered a second consecutive loss to Rose Namajunas at UFC 268, but she will not stop in her quest to reclaim the strawweight title. Zhang (21-3) challenged American champion Namajunas (11-4) in Saturday night’s co-main event inside the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City. The bout was an immediate rematch, after Namajunas swiped the title from “Magnum” with a first-round head kick knockout at UFC 261 in April. This time it was a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155172/ufc-268-zhang-weili-looking-forward-rose?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155172/ufc-268-zhang-weili-looking-forward-rose?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Nov 2021 07:44:55 +0000 After getting caught with a head kick in April, Zhang Weili wanted to know if Rose Namjunas really was the better fighter over the full 25 minutes. The margins were fine, but the American edged a five-round war at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday night to retain her strawweight title with a split decision in the UFC 268 co-main event. That’s not to say these two will not meet again down the line, and Zhang (21-3) will not get another chance to stake her claim. But China’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155159/ufc-268-rose-namajunas-edges-zhang-weili-five?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155159/ufc-268-rose-namajunas-edges-zhang-weili-five?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Nov 2021 05:01:12 +0000 Chinese fighter Zhang Weili has been given the backing of the New York Knicks going into her blockbuster strawweight title rematch with Rose Namajunas at UFC 268. The 32-year-old Zhang (21-2) will look to regain the belt from American Namajunas (10-4) on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, the home of the NBA team. Namajunas stunned Zhang with a first-round TKO in front of a vociferous crowd in Jacksonville, Florida in April, where “Magnum” was booed at the VyStar Veterans Memorial... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155106/ufc-268-new-york-knicks-tell-zhang-bring-belt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3155106/ufc-268-new-york-knicks-tell-zhang-bring-belt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Nov 2021 04:30:27 +0000 https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3154994/women-martial-arts-misogyny-magic-and-queer-k-pop-band?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3154994/women-martial-arts-misogyny-magic-and-queer-k-pop-band?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Nov 2021 08:00:19 +0000 Zhang Weili has revealed the remarkable and full extent her team has gone to in preparing her for the war expected ahead on Saturday, when the Chinese fighter challenges American Rose Namajunas for her strawweight title at UFC 268 in New York. Last time the pair met – when a left foot from Namajunas back in April laid Zhang out cold, and lifted the strawweight title away – “Magnum” seemed spooked by the booing and verbals she received from the pro-Namajunas (and, naturally, America) fans inside... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154864/ufc-268-zhang-weilis-team-simulating-boos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154864/ufc-268-zhang-weilis-team-simulating-boos?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Nov 2021 09:55:03 +0000 UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas considers China’s Zhang Weili the most dangerous opponent available at the moment. Namajunas and Zhang will collide in the co-main event of UFC 268 this Sunday in New York City. The bout will be an immediate rematch of an April fight that Namajunas won by knockout in 78 seconds – quick enough that some fans labelled it a fluke. Despite the decisive outcome of their first fight, Namajunas views the challenge ahead as a stark one. “I really appreciate Weili... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154789/rose-namajunas-says-ufc-268-foe-zhang-weili?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154789/rose-namajunas-says-ufc-268-foe-zhang-weili?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Nov 2021 03:29:37 +0000 Zhang Weili entered the UFC making no secret of the fact she wanted to position herself as a role model – and to draw attention to mixed martial arts. Speaking to the Post in 2018, at the very start of her UFC career, the strawweight star said she wanted to use her appearances inside and outside the cage to change people’s attitudes towards a sport still considered by many to be a little outside the mainstream. “What I am also trying to do is use my behaviour to encourage more people – and more... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154579/ufc-268-how-zhang-weili-driving-conversation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154579/ufc-268-how-zhang-weili-driving-conversation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Nov 2021 10:00:20 +0000 Chelsea Chenxi Zhu’s mother was worried about her fixation with mixed martial arts – until she saw her daughter watching Zhang Weili. The moment came back in March 2020 when Zhu was sat in front of the TV in her Shanghai home, and she was watching on as Zhang went to war with Poland’s Joanna Jędrzejczyk in Las Vegas to defend the UFC’s strawweight title in what was later voted 2020’s Fight of the Year. “My mother was watching me watching her, and she said you’re more excited than Zhang Weili,”... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154421/ufc-268-how-zhang-weili-inspiring-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3154421/ufc-268-how-zhang-weili-inspiring-new?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Nov 2021 09:30:28 +0000 The word leaking out of her training camp has been that Zhang Weili is being remade in the lead-up to her New York return clash with Rose Namajunas at UFC 268 on November 6. Zhang’s long-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach Pedro Jordao has confirmed those rumours as fact. “The camp here is going very well and [Henry] Cejudo is very present at her training.” he told the Post. “You guys are gonna see a new version of Zhang Weili.” The now-retired Cejudo – once the king of both the UFC’s flyweight and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3153704/ufc-268-how-zhang-weilis-fight-camp?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3153704/ufc-268-how-zhang-weilis-fight-camp?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:58:43 +0000 After the unexpected animosity that scarred the build-up to their first fight, Rose Namajunas has extended an olive branch – of a sort – to Zhang Weili ahead of their UFC 268 strawweight title rematch in New York. China’s Zhang (21-2) recently admitted she was thrown off by the American’s pre-fight comments criticising Communism, and said she believed her opponent was trying to get the Jacksonville, Florida crowd to boo her at UFC 261 in April. Regardless of intent, Namajunas’ words seemingly... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3153249/ufc-268-rose-namajunas-tells-zhang-weili?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3153249/ufc-268-rose-namajunas-tells-zhang-weili?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Oct 2021 03:03:30 +0000 Former UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade has nothing but bad intentions for the winner of the title clash between incumbent Rose Namajunas and challenger Zhang Weili at UFC 268 on November 6. The Brazilian (22-9) wants another shot at the belt – after a failed run at Kyrgyzstani-Peruvian Valentina Shevchenko (22-3) and her flyweight crown – and that is why she is keen to lay out her vision of how Namajunas-Zhang will play out. The fact the 30-year-old took the title from Namajunas (10-4)... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3153121/ufc-268-jessica-andrade-picks-rose-namajunas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3153121/ufc-268-jessica-andrade-picks-rose-namajunas?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Oct 2021 04:59:58 +0000 The physical benefits to be gained from training with US Olympic gold medal winning wrestler and former two-weight UFC champion Henry Cejudo are obvious. But Zhang Weili (21-2) has revealed that moving her fight camp from Beijing to work with “Triple C” in Arizona has changed her game mentally heading into November 6’s huge UFC 268 strawweight title rematch with Rose Namajunas. “I’ve been wanting to train with him for a while, but the pandemic delayed our plans so I wasn’t able to train with him... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3153110/ufc-268-zhang-weili-says-henry-cejudo-has?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3153110/ufc-268-zhang-weili-says-henry-cejudo-has?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Oct 2021 04:15:56 +0000 Justin Gaethje has backed Rose Namajunas to “break down” Zhang Weili in what he has predicted will be a more technical strawweight title rematch at UFC 268 on November 6. Zhang (21-2) will look to prove that Namajunas (10-4) got lucky after the Lithuanian-American claimed the belt with a first-round head kick KO in April, and has made a raft of changes this time around. The 32-year-old Chinese star has moved her fight camp from Beijing and is working with former UFC double champ Henry Cejudo at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3152440/ufc-zhang-weilis-ko-power-nowhere-near-rose?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3152440/ufc-zhang-weilis-ko-power-nowhere-near-rose?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Oct 2021 05:04:19 +0000 Rose Namajunas will run it back with Zhang Weili on November 6, but don’t necessarily expect another highlight-reel, head-kick finish from the UFC’s strawweight champion. “It worked,” Namajunas told The Schmo of the 78-second TKO that saw her claim the belt from the Chinese star in Jacksonville, Florida in April. “We can always test that out. I’m always gonna be throwing those kicks now. “That’s my original martial arts, I guess. That’s what I started in, is taekwondo, so I definitely will be... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151613/ufc-268-rose-namajunas-says-zhang-weili-could?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151613/ufc-268-rose-namajunas-says-zhang-weili-could?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Oct 2021 05:19:18 +0000 The build-up to Zhang Weili and Rose Namajunas’ first strawweight title fight at UFC 261 in April was anything but normal, even compared to MMA standards. While trash talk is almost expected, “Thug Rose” made the fight political when she invoked Cold War rhetoric in an interview with a Lithuanian news outlet a few weeks out from the bout. Namajunas then doubled down on the comments when speaking to ESPN, saying she had no regrets over using the slogan “better dead than red”, which originates... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151376/ufc-268-zhang-weili-throws-first-blow-cold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151376/ufc-268-zhang-weili-throws-first-blow-cold?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Oct 2021 04:02:21 +0000 Zhang Weili kept quiet on Rose Namajunas invoking the Cold War slogan “better dead than red” and bashing communism in the build-up to – and immediate aftermath of – their strawweight title fight at UFC 261 in April. But the gloves are finally off, it seems, ahead of their November 6 rematch at Madison Square Garden. China’s first UFC champion (21-2) confirmed on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Hour she has split from SuckerPunch Entertainment, whose owner Brian Butler-Au looks after the Lithuanian-American... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151509/ufc-zhang-weili-says-rose-namajunas-made-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151509/ufc-zhang-weili-says-rose-namajunas-made-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Oct 2021 08:04:07 +0000 Henry Cejudo has insisted that Zhang Weili has all the right tools to beat Rose Namajunas – but she just needed some fine tuning. The Chinese “Magnum” (21-2) will look to reclaim the strawweight title in November 6’s UFC 268 co-main event at Madison Square Garden, having suffered a shock first-round TKO when they met in April. It was Zhang’s first defeat in the UFC – her first since losing her professional debut in 2013, in fact – and the 32-year-old has ripped up the script for the rematch,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151362/ufc-henry-cejudo-says-zhang-weili-ferrari-she?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151362/ufc-henry-cejudo-says-zhang-weili-ferrari-she?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Oct 2021 07:36:51 +0000 To say Zhang Weili’s career is at an inflection point would be an understatement. The last time China’s first UFC champion had back-to-back losses was … well, never. Her second career defeat came in her most recent fight, against “Thug” Rose Namajunas in April at UFC 261, when the American delivered a devastating first-round head kick to claim the strawweight title. Namajunas pulled a sleight of hand and caught “Magnum” – and the whole fight world – completely off guard in the process. Zhang had... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151054/ufc-zhang-weili-could-face-crucial-call-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151054/ufc-zhang-weili-could-face-crucial-call-over?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Oct 2021 13:41:39 +0000 Zhang Weili is still keeping her counsel when it comes to November 6’s titanic rematch for the UFC strawweight title against Rose Namajunas. But her new training partner has lifted the lid on the Chinese former champ’s preparations for Madison Square Garden’s UFC 268 co-main event. The 32-year-old Zhang (21-2) has moved her fight camp from her usual gym in Beijing to Fight Ready in Scottsdale, Arizona, touching down in the US three weeks ago and getting straight to work. “Lock your doors, hide... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151034/ufc-henry-cejudo-says-zhang-weili-20-coming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3151034/ufc-henry-cejudo-says-zhang-weili-20-coming?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Oct 2021 07:20:02 +0000 China’s top UFC fighter Zhang Weili (21-2) has described her rematch with “Thug” Rose Namajunas (11-4) as “like a war” in her first interview ahead of the fight at UFC 268 in New York on November 6. “After the fight everybody was surprised by the result. Then Dana said there might be a rematch. The mentality I had before was to go there to learn from each other and meet friends through martial arts. I really felt like that,” Zhang told Chinese media. “Then I went and found out it wasn‘t like... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3149689/ufc-268-zhang-weili-sees-rose-namajunas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3149689/ufc-268-zhang-weili-sees-rose-namajunas?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Sep 2021 14:00:13 +0000 Zhang Weili and Rose Namajunas may have their differences, but ONE Championship strawweight champ Xiong Jingnan has insisted she is “good friends” with her UFC counterpart. Namajunas took the UFC strawweight belt from China’s Zhang via first-round TKO in April, after a fractured build-up to their fight in Jacksonville, Florida, with the Lithuanian-American invoking the Cold War mantra “better dead than red”. ONE: Angela Lee says Meng Bo ‘talked a lot of crap, got what she deserved’ The... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3148687/one-championship-xiong-jingnan-says-ufcs-rose?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/mixed-martial-arts/article/3148687/one-championship-xiong-jingnan-says-ufcs-rose?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Sep 2021 08:02:07 +0000