{"id":17820,"date":"2025-02-03T17:31:43","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T16:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/?p=17820"},"modified":"2025-02-03T17:31:45","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T16:31:45","slug":"ufc-312-zhang-weili-looks-strong-and-ready-to-go-in-the-latest-episode-of-ufc-countdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/ufc-312-zhang-weili-looks-strong-and-ready-to-go-in-the-latest-episode-of-ufc-countdown\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC 312: Zhang Weili Looks Strong And Ready To Go In The Latest Episode Of UFC Countdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Starting with kung fu at age six, Zhang Weili’s path to becoming a UFC<\/a> champion reads like a movie script. Born in Handan, China, to a miner father and housewife mother, she worked odd jobs from cashier to security guard. Her early martial arts training included Shaolin Kung Fu, Sanda, and Chinese wrestling (Shuai jiao). Little did anyone know this humble beginning would lead to her becoming China’s first UFC champion, and that too, a dominant one.<\/p>

Weili bounced between jobs until finding her true calling at a local Beijing gym. There, she met her future coach Cai Xuejun, who spotted the diamond in the rough. Like many great fighters before her, Zhang’s journey started with a loss – her first pro fight ended in defeat to Meng Bo. But as they say in fighting, it’s not about how many times you fall, but how many times you get back up.<\/strong><\/p>

Also Read: Three On The Trot For Izzy – Was An Emotionally Overwhelming Weight Cut The Cause Of Israel Adesanya’s Defeat?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>

Making History As The First Chinese UFC Champion<\/h2>

Zhang stormed into the UFC with the force of a typhoon, winning her first three fights convincingly. Her defining moment came when she knocked out Jessica Andrade in just 42 seconds to claim the strawweight title. The victory was more than personal, it marked China’s first UFC champion. Her epic first defense against Joanna Jędrzejczyk at UFC 248 became an instant classic, widely considered the greatest women’s fight ever.<\/p>

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Here's Zhang Weili running through Jessica Andrade in less than a minute pic.twitter.com\/JfSNeo4HEH<\/a><\/p>— The Filthy Casual (@MMAfilthycasual) August 14, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>