One of the best fights that we saw in the UFC this past year was one between Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk. The two fighters gave it their all and put forward a fight of the year performance.
Fans and critics alike applauded Zhang and Jedrzejczyk’s performance, and recently, UFC President Dana White talked about the same.
“Yeah, that was a war which ended up becoming the fight of the year. You know she came here; she was in my office after that fight man, her and Joanna were in rough shape. Those two are two badass warriors man and yeah, she needed some time off.”
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Also Read: Should Weili Zhang Fight Valentina Shevchenko if She Defeats Rose Namajunas?
The fight ended with Zhang winning via split decision. The things that happened leading up to the fight made it even more special. Zhang had moved her training camp from China to Thailand and then had to move to Dubai because of the pandemic.
Zhang even faced difficulties in obtaining a visa because of the quarantine rules. She finally got the approval on February 19, 2020, and could compete in the fight. This was Zhang’s first title defense, and she was successful in doing so.
The victory was very important for Zhang, even though she had proved her worth by winning her first four fights and defeating Jessica Andrade in just 42 seconds. A victory against the legendary ‘Joanna champion’ truly cemented her place as a modern-day great.
What next for Weili Zhang?
After successfully defending her title the first time around, Zhang is all set for her second title defense against Rose Namajunas. These two are all set to collide at the UFC 261 Co-main event on April 25.
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The fight is going to be a great one, as while Zhang has been in great her opponent is one of the best Strawweight fighters in the UFC. ‘Thug Rose’ has defeated UFC greats like Andrade and Jedrzejczyk (twice).
Who wins the fight is unpredictable so far, but both these fighters are two of the best in the division. And looking at their previous fights, one can be sure to see an entertaining match.