UFC: Zhang Weili’s first loss offers clues where Chinese superstar may go after Rose Namajunas defeat
- The 31-year-old former strawweight champion lost her first professional bout in 2013, then responded with a remarkable 21-fight win streak
- Will ‘Magnum’ emerge from this second reckoning of her career a stronger fighter and person, much like she did after her first loss?
The last time Zhang Weili lost a fight before UFC 261’s dramatic strawweight title bout seems like another lifetime.
It was November 2013 and the UFC strawweight division didn’t even exist, as the women’s side of the promotion was barely a year into existence. Zhang was fighting in the China MMA League in Xuchang, and she lost to Meng Bo, who now fights in ONE Championship.
In the first round, Meng took Zhang down and then repeatedly picked her up by the waist and slammed her to the ground, at one point holding her upside down against the cage. From there it was all downhill. Zhang seemed disoriented by such a wild fighter, one who would dance around, throw unorthodox punches, kicks and not worry about having much of a guard or defensive strategy. From the outset, it was clear Zhang was ill-prepared and out of her depth.
Zhang’s hesitancy was evident throughout the tilt – she tried and missed with spinning kicks and continuously found herself in difficult spots because of inexperience. She attempted multiple failed takedowns and had no answer for Meng’s athleticism and superior cardio. Zhang was not the aggressor, rarely holding the centre of the ring, and in between the two rounds she looked exhausted, hunched over her stool as her coach worked on her legs and told her to pick up her chin.
Meng’s arm was raised by the official after the end of the second round. “It was my first MMA match, and it was stopped too early by referee,” Zhang said in a 2019 interview with CGTN. ”Since then, I‘ve developed an awareness for finishing the game by myself.”