Contents
Zhang Weili
Becoming the first Chinese UFC champion.
First UFC title · Jędrzejczyk contest
- Born
- 13 August 1989
- Birthplace
- Handan, China
More people
Zhang Weili
Zhang Weili is a Chinese mixed martial artist who brought a sanda background to the UFC strawweight division.
Early life
Martial arts school
Trained in sanda and Chinese wrestling in Handan.
Beijing work
Worked several jobs before gym employment enabled her to train regularly.
Career
- 2013–2017
Regional career
Entered professional MMA and won the Kunlun Fight title.
- 2018–2019
UFC breakthrough
Joined the UFC and became strawweight champion.
- 2020–2024
Title contests
Fought leading contenders and regained the championship in 2022.
Achievements
First UFC title
Stopped Jéssica Andrade in Shenzhen.
Jędrzejczyk contest
Retained the title after a closely fought five-round bout.
Second title reign
Submitted Carla Esparza to regain the belt.
Beyond fighting
Film inspiration
Has credited Donnie Yen’s Flash Point with introducing her to MMA.
Family support
Her brother left his trading job to help her fighting career.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Birth date — UFC statistics ↗Birth date and early career — UFC ↗Photo: 中国新闻网. CC BY 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
