UFC 261: Zhang Weili dismisses Rose Namajunas’ comments on communism as a ‘joke’

American challenger had referenced ‘better dead than red’ slogan in lead up to this weekend’s title clash

‘I saw them then I totally ignored them. Those kinds of comments make no sense,’ says China’s Zhang Weili

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Zhang Weili celebrates after defeating Jessica Andrade in Shenzhen. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:25am, 21 Apr 2021Updated: 5:17pm, 22 Apr 2021

Chinese champion Zhang Weili has brushed aside controversial comments from her opponent Rose Namajunas in the lead-up to their strawweight tile clash at UFC 61 this weekend, labelling the American’s references to Cold War sloganeering as “a joke”.

“I saw them then I totally ignored them,” Zhang said of Namajunas’ remarks.

Namajunas (9-4) had sparked a fire in the lead-up to the weekend’s clash with Zhang (21-1), referencing the American Cold War anti-communist mantra of “better dead than red” from the 1950s and 60s during an interview with Lithuanian TV where she was explaining how she was motivating herself for the upcoming fight.

It was an issue fanned by social media reaction, mostly, but Zhang had until Tuesday kept her thoughts on the matter to herself.

“I believe as an athlete you have to focus on yourself, and those kinds of comments make no sense,” said the 31-year-old, via Zoom call from Florida. “I think it’s a joke.”