What lies behind Zhang Weili's global traction and wide appeal? The Post investigated.
who is she ?
Zhang Weili is a pioneer in Chinese MMA, competing in the strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
She is China and Asia's first UFC Women's World Champion.
Born in Handan, northern China's Hebei province, Zhang began studying martial arts at the age of six, and later practiced three-stroke techniques and boxing. After that, she won the Hebei Provincial Youth Sanda Championship.
However, a serious injury forced her to reconsider her career and ended up taking a variety of jobs in Beijing, from kindergarten teacher to hotel receptionist to bodyguard.
Her passion for martial arts never waned and she later returned to fighting games.
In 2019, at UFC Fight Night 157 in Shenzhen, she defeated current champion Brazilian Jessica Andrade to win the UFC Strawweight World Championship, becoming the first Chinese and Asian fighter to win the title. Ta.
In March 2020, at UFC 248 in Las Vegas, she successfully defended her title against Polish challenger and former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, further cementing her dominance in the sport. Established.
Chinese milestone
UFC 300, which took place in Las Vegas on April 13, marked the first time in the contest's history that a title match between two Chinese fighters took place.
Zhang faced a formidable opponent named Yang. Both men are 34 years old and each have eight wins in the UFC.
This isn't just a battle.A step towards a new stage for the Chinese mixed martial arts world
Zhang's superior groundwork ultimately led her to victory and once again successfully defended her title.
“This is not just a fight. For Chinese MMA, this is a step to a new stage. I worked hard and won the championship step by step, but Xiaonan's path here was not easy either. '' said Chan.
“Neither of us would have gotten this far without resilience and tenacity. I believe this match will inspire more people to take part in the sport.”
zuckerberg link
Chan's discipline and dedication to the sport not only earned him the respect of his peers, but also attracted celebrities such as Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan to the UFC 300 fight.
However, in a live streaming session on the evening of April 16, Zhang said that he intentionally avoided greeting Zuckerberg before the match in order to maintain focus.
“Before the game, Zuckerberg came to say hello to everyone. The staff wanted to say hello to me, but I said I couldn't. Not now. I need to focus on the game. I was lying down. When he passed me in the outside room, I turned my head away to avoid distractions,'' Zhang said.
Afterwards, they had a friendly conversation.
Her revelation prompted playful comments from Chinese people online.
“Zuckerberg might think he can beat Elon Musk by practicing with Weili Zhang,” one person joked.
“Did Zhang Weili suggest that Zuckerberg should go to Shaolin?” joked another.
