UFC: Zhang Weili’s KO power ‘nowhere near’ Rose Namajunas, says Justin Gaethje

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 Fight Ready in Scottsdale, Arizona, suggesting she could lean on her wrestling for next month’s co-main event.

“Rose makes you question yourself, if you’re working hard enough,” former UFC interim lightweight champ Gaethje told ESPN. “She works so damn hard all day every day, every workout.

“The way she finished Weili the first time was perfection. The chances of that happening again are very small. Weili is a great fighter. This is gonna be a competitive … not a competitive fight, because Rose has the ability to shut your lights off. She’s so fast, so technical, that could happen again. But the chances aren’t great.

“I think it’s gonna be more of a longer fight, a technical showdown, where Weili tries to make it a brawl and Rose picks her shots. She’ll break her down and find the big shots, touch her body.”