Advertisement
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Martial ArtsMixed Martial Arts

UFC 275: Zhang Weili promises ‘exciting fight’ after ‘very uneventful’ Namajunas-Esparza dud

  • China’s former strawweight champ insists ‘no one wants to watch a title fight like that’ following UFC 274 co-main event
  • ‘As a champion, you need to show heart, the indomitable spirit. You can’t be thinking about win or lose,’ Zhang says

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Zhang Weili throws a punch at Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248. Photo: AP
Nicolas Atkin

China’s Zhang Weili is promising fireworks in her UFC 275 rematch against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at Singapore Indoor Stadium next month – which fans of the strawweight division will surely welcome.

Advertisement
The clash between the two former champions, who put on 2020’s Fight of the Year the first time around, should act as a panacea of sorts to fans still fuming over last weekend’s dull UFC 274 title fight.

Carla Esparza snatched the belt from Rose Namajunas via split decision in Phoenix, Arizona, though neither woman covered themselves in glory, but Zhang is confident she will put on another show.

“I believe you all watched the fight between Rose and Carla,” she said in an interview on Chinese social media. “This fight was indeed very uneventful.

Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas during their UFC 274 co-main event. Photo: USA TODAY Sports
Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas during their UFC 274 co-main event. Photo: USA TODAY Sports

“I believe no one wants to watch a championship fight like that. As a champion, you need to show heart, the indomitable spirit. You can’t be thinking about win or lose once you are in the cage. I think that’ll give yourself a heavy burden to bear.

Advertisement

“Rose was a bit overly afraid of Carla’s wrestling, afraid of herself losing. She executed the coaches’ strategy well, and hoped to win the fight with that last-round takedown. But that’s really hard to do.

Advertisement