Zhang Weili, the first UFC champion in China, one of the greatest MMA fighters in the world, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife are big fans
What’s behind Zhang Weili’s global pulling power and broad appeal? The Post finds out.
Who is she ?
Zhang Weili is a pioneering figure in Chinese MMA and competes in the strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
She is the first UFC women’s world champion in China and Asia.
Born in Handan, Hebei Province, northern China, Zhang began learning martial arts at the age of 6 and later practiced Sanda and boxing. She then won the Hebei Provincial Youth Sanda Championship.
However, serious injuries forced her to reconsider her career, leading her to various jobs in Beijing – from teaching kindergarten to working as a hotel receptionist and bodyguard.
Her passion for martial arts never waned and she later returned to the fighting game.
In 2019, during UFC Fight Night 157, in Shenzhen, she defeated the current champion, Brazilian Jéssica Andrade, and won the UFC Strawweight World Championship, becoming the first fighter from China and Asia to win the title.
In March 2020, at UFC248 in Las Vegas, she successfully defended her title against Polish challenger, former strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk, further establishing her dominance in the sport.
Chinese March
UFC 300, held on April 13 in Las Vegas, marked the first time in the history of the fight with a title fight between two fighters from China.
Zhang faced Yan, a formidable opponent. Both 34 years old, each has eight wins in the UFC.
This is more than just a fight; for Chinese MMA, it is a step towards a new stage
Zhang’s superior groundwork ultimately led her to victory, allowing her to successfully defend her title once again.
“This is more than just a fight. For Chinese MMA, it is a step into a new stage. I won my championship step by step through hard work, and Xiaonan’s journey here was not easy either,” Zhang said.
“Without resilience and persistence, none of us would have reached this point. I believe this match will inspire more people to join this sport.”
Link Zuckerberg
Zhang’s discipline and dedication to the sport has not only earned the respect of his peers, but also attracted celebrities to the UFC 300 fight, including Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan.
However, in a live broadcast session on the evening of April 16, Zhang said he intentionally avoided greeting Zuckerberg before the match in order to stay focused.
“Before the match, Zuckerberg came to greet everyone. An employee said he wanted to greet me, but I said I couldn’t. Not now. I need to concentrate on the game. I turned my head when he passed the outer room where I was lying, to avoid distractions,” Zhang said.
Afterwards, they had a friendly conversation.
His revelation drew amused comments from Chinese people online.
“Zuckerberg might think he could beat Elon Musk if he trained with Zhang Weili,” one person joked.
“Did Zhang Weili suggest that Zuckerberg should go to the Shaolin Temple?” joked another.
