Welcome to MMA’s ‘Made in China’ generation led by UFC champs Zhang Weili, Israel Adesanya and Valentina Shevchenko
- The experience of fighting in China is helping a generation of international champions shape the future of the fight game globally
- ‘Magnum’, ‘Stylebender’ and ‘Bullet’ all worked their way into MMA after years of fighting anywhere and everywhere from Chaoyang to Shangqiu
Zhang “Magnum” Weili shook up the world of combat sports when she claimed the UFC’s strawweight title last year but the promotion’s first Chinese champion has said all along, things are only just getting started.
“I don’t think many people knew before about Chinese fighters, and how strong we are,” the 30-year-old told the Post recently. “I have been fighting for a long time now and fighting in China is very tough. I think people around the world can now see this.”
“China Power” is what Zhang likes to call it but the world at large is only just beginning to recognise the strength and the depth emerging from the country’s domestic fight leagues and how the experience of fighting in China is helping a generation of international champions shape the future of the fight game globally.
The UFC now has three world champions (out of its 10) whose skills have been forged through years of battle in China.
Zhang, New Zealand's middleweight champ Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya (19-0) and Kyrgyzstani flyweight champ Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko (19-3) all worked their way into MMA after years of fighting anywhere and everywhere from Chaoyang to Shangqiu.
UFC prospects who have cut their teeth in China include the New Zealand flyweight title hope Kai “Don’t Blink” Kara-France (21-8, one no contest), and the surging Russian welterweight Muslim “King of Kung Fu” Salikhov (16-2).