UFC 248: Zhang Weili solves the mystery of Tony Ferguson’s baseball from Khabib presser

Ferguson gives Zhang the baseball – and some advice for Joanna Jedrzejczyk fight – after strawweight champ tells him she’s a fan

‘He told me the most important thing is to relax, to stay calm inside the cage and I thought a lot about that before the fight,’ Zhang says

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Zhang Weili holds Tony Ferguson’s baseball while Joe Rogan interviews her at the UFC 248 ceremonial weigh-ins. Photo: Amy Kaplan

Published: 4:05pm, 9 Mar 2020Updated: 4:05pm, 9 Mar 2020

Zhang “Magnum” Weili emerged on Sunday bruised, unbeaten in the UFC and on the brink of global stardom after her epic title defence against Joanna Jedrzejczyk in what has already gone down as one of the sport’s all-time great fights.

One of the first things the champ did was clear the air with the Post following the mysterious appearance of UFC lightweight star Tony Ferguson’s baseball in her hand at the pre-UFC 248 face-offs on Friday.

“I’m a huge fan and we bumped into each other backstage,” Zhang explained on Sunday. “I told him I was a fan and he gave the baseball to me and he gave me some advice before the fight. He told me the most important thing is to relax, to stay calm inside the cage and I thought a lot about that before the fight.”

Ferguson (25-3) had earlier been holding the baseball during a heated press conference to promote his upcoming bout with the UFC’s lightweight title holder, Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov (28-0), in New York on April 18.

Tony Ferguson looks on during the UFC 249 press conference with gloves on and a baseball. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

“The best thing about Tony as a fighter is that he has been able to merge traditional Chinese martial arts into MMA,” Zhang said. “I like the way he kicks, I like the way he elbows, I like everything about the way he fights.”

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