Weili Zhang News

Weili Zhang, Dana White, UFC Shenzhen
Weili Zhang

Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk opening betting odds revealed

Adam Martin - December 19, 2019

The opening betting odds have been released for the upcoming title fight at UFC 248 between UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang and rival Joanna Jedrzejczyk. The UFC recently announced that Zhang will take on Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248, which is set for March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout is expected to serve as the co-main event of the card, with another title fight headlining the event.

Weili Zhang
UFC

Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk targeted for UFC 248

Adam Martin - December 2, 2019

The UFC women’s strawweight title will be on the line when champion Weili Zhang takes on challenger Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248. The card is set to take place on March 7, 2020, though no location or venue has officially been decided on yet. There have been rumors that this event may take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, with a main event of UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya taking on rival Yoel Romero.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Exclusive MMA Interviews

Dan Lambert expects Joanna Jedrzejczyk to fight Weili Zhang in early 2020

Cole Shelton - November 25, 2019

Joanna Jedrzejczyk is expected to fight strawweight champion Weili Zhang in early 2020. When Jedrzejczyk fought Michelle Waterson at UFC Tampa, the expectation was that she would get a title shot with a win. She ended up earning a dominant decision win, so for American Top Team owner Dan Lambert and everyone at Jedrzejczyk’s training headquarters of American Top Team, it’s now just a question of when it happens. 

Weili Zhang, UFC rankings
UFC

Weili Zhang confident she'll finish Joanna Jedrzejczyk early

Harry Kettle - November 22, 2019

UFC Strawweight Champion Weili Zhang is confident that she’ll be able to get Joanna Jedrzejczyk out of there early if they wind up fighting for the title in 2020. Zhang is still riding a strong wave of momentum after capturing the title by defeating Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen. It took her to 4-0 in the UFC and 20-1 overall, confirming her status as the first ever UFC champion to come from China.

Weili Zhang
UFC

Weili Zhang responds to Joanna Jedrzejczyk: 'I am ready now'

Adam Martin - November 18, 2019

UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang says she is ready to defend her title against Joanna Jedrzejczyk and wants the UFC to book the fight immediately. Jedrzejczyk recently spoke to the South China Morning Post and said she is willing to fight Zhang anywhere — even in China.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk
UFC

Joanna Jedrzejczyk will go to extreme lengths to fight Weili Zhang

Harry Kettle - November 15, 2019

UFC strawweight Joanna Jedrzejczyk is willing to do just about anything to get her hands on Strawweight Champion Weili Zhang. The Chinese champ is coming off the back of her sensational first round title win over Jessica Andrade which made her the first ever champion to stem from China. Ever since then there have been many questions raised as to who her first title defense will be against, with a series of names being suggested.

Weili Zhang
UFC

Weili Zhang wants Valentina Shevchenko next, if not she'll go and 'beat' Joanna Jedrzejczyk

Cole Shelton - October 21, 2019

Weili Zhang has set her eyes on current UFC flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko. Zhang is looking to become another champ-champ in the UFC after just winning the strawweight belt back in August. Why she wants to fight Shevchenko is simple. She wants to fight the best and she believes the 125-pound champion is just that. Yet, if that scrap can not come to fruition, she is fine taking on Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

Weili Zhang
Weili Zhang

Weili Zhang criticises former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk

Harry Kettle - October 18, 2019

UFC Strawweight Champion Weili Zhang has ripped into the former queen of the division Joanna Jedrzejczyk ahead of a potential fight between the two. Zhang (20-1) is coming off the back of a memorable TKO victory over Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen which served as her coronation as the first-ever Chinese champion in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Weili Zhang, Dana White, UFC Shenzhen
Weili Zhang

Weili Zhang has US visa approved

Adam Martin - October 11, 2019

UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang has finally had her US visa approved, paving the way for her next fight to be in the United States. It was recently revealed that Zhang was having issued acquiring a US visa due to the recent conflicts in China. It looked like Zhang was going to have issues getting a visa, but according to Damon Martin of MMAFighting.com, that won’t be a hurdle any longer.

Weili Zhang, UFC rankings
Weili Zhang

Weili Zhang denied US visa, presidential candidate offers to help

Harry Kettle - October 8, 2019

UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang has confirmed that her request for a visa to enter the United States has been rejected. Zhang (20-1) became the queen of the strawweights on August 31 when she defeated Jessica Andrade in just 42 seconds to become the first ever Chinese-born champion in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It was a monumental moment for the development of mixed martial arts in Asia, and it was seen by many as a turning point for Weili’s star power within the sport.

Weili Zhang, Michael Bisping, Dwayne Johnson, Tom Brady, Dana White, Daniel Cormier
UFC

Dana White: Weili Zhang's next opponent will 'depend on a lot of things'

Thomas Taylor - September 5, 2019

Not long after Weili Zhang captured the UFC strawweight belt with a first-round stoppage of Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen, fans began to speculate as to who might provide the new champ’s first challenge. UFC President Dana White seems to be undecided on that. Speaking to ESPN this week, White was asked who might serve as Zhang’s new opponent. The frontrunners would seem to be the undefeated Tatiana Suarez, the former champion Rose Namajunas, or the winner of the upcoming fight between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Michelle Waterson.

Weili Zhang, Henry Cejudo
UFC

Weili Zhang calls out Henry Cejudo, says she will take his 'gold back to Beijing'

Cole Shelton - September 4, 2019

Weili Zhang is ready for a fight with current UFC men’s flyweight and bantamweight champion, Henry Cejudo. Zhang is the UFC’s new women’s strawweight champion after knocking out Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen in 42-seconds. For Cejudo, he has been calling out a couple of different female fighters and the new Chinese champion just so happened to be one of them.

Weili Zhang, UFC rankings
UFC Rankings

UFC rankings update | Weili Zhang soars at strawweight, Israel Adesanya joins P4P rankings

Tom Taylor - September 4, 2019

The official UFC rankings have been updated in the wake of last weekend’s UFC Shenzhen card, and as expected, there have been some big changes. Most notably, Weili Zhang has assumed the top spot in the strawweight division, having captured the title by defeating Jessica Andrade in less than a minute in the card’s main event.

Jessica Andrade
UFC

Jessica Andrade wants to have a 'real fight' with Weili Zhang after UFC Shenzhen

Cole Shelton - September 2, 2019

Jessica Andrade is no longer the UFC strawweight champion. In the main event of UFC Shenzhen, she was knocked out by Chinese challenger, Weili Zhang in just 42 seconds. It was a dominant performance from Zhang as she rocked Andrade early and followed up with knees, elbows, and punches until the Brazilian dropped to the ground and the ref called a stop to the fight.

Weili Zhang
UFC

What's next for Weili Zhang and Jessica Andrade after UFC Shenzhen?

Cole Shelton - September 2, 2019

Jessica Andrade was looking for her first title defense when she took on Weili Zhang in the main event of UFC Shenzhen. It was an important fight in the strawweight division that would no doubt change the landscape of 115-pounds. In the end, it was Zhang who surprised many as she knocked out Andrade in just 42 seconds to win the strawweight title. Following the fight, here is what we think should be next for the two of them.

Henry Cejudo, Weili Zhang
UFC

Henry Cejudo responds to Weili Zhang's 'sex change' comment

Thomas Taylor - September 1, 2019

UFC men’s flyweight and bantamweight champ Henry Cejudo has recently made joking callouts of several female UFC stars: flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko, bantamweight and featherweight champ Amanda Nunes, and top bantamweight contender Germaine de Randamie. Shortly after Weili Zhang captured the UFC strawweight belt at UFC Shenzhen, she was asked how she’d respond if she became the latest woman to be called out by Cejudo.

Weili Zhang, Dana White, UFC Shenzhen
UFC

Weili Zhang tells Henry Cejudo 'welcome to the female division'

Adam D Martin - September 1, 2019

New UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang welcomed men’s flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo to the women’s divisions in a comical social media post. Cejudo has been calling out female fighters for the last month, with Valentina Shevchenko, Germaine de Randamie and now Zhang all getting called out on social media by “Triple C.” Zhang saw that Cejudo called her out and responded to him.

Ronda Rousey, Weili Zhang
UFC

Ronda Rousey praises Weili Zhang for title win at UFC Shenzhen

Adam D Martin - September 1, 2019

Women’s MMA trailblazer Ronda Rousey offered praise for the performance of new UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang in the main event of UFC China. The long-time UFC women’s bantamweight champion took to her Instagram to post a congratulatory message to Zhang, who needed just 42 seconds to finish Jessica Andrade and become the new champ at 115lbs.