“Today is my dream come true.”
Chinese mixed martial arts athlete
China’s mixed martial arts athlete Zhang Weili reclaimed the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Women’s Strawweight title after beating the US’ Carla Esparza at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday night.
With the victory, Zhang became the third consecutive individual in UFC history to regain the women’s strawweight championship, joining Esparza and Rose Namajunas of the US.
The first round was a frenetic blend of striking and grappling, with each competitor having their moments, including in the areas where their foe was viewed as superior, the UFC said on its website.
Early in the second round, a right hand from Zhang seemed to sting Esparza. When the champion shot in for a takedown, “Magnum” sprawled well and quickly advanced to a crucifix position, fishing her arm under the neck, squeezing out a tap.
This was an outstanding performance from the 33-yearold two-time champion, who picks up her second stoppage win of 2022 and moved to 23-3 overall with the win, according to UFC records.
“I have many ways to finish the fight, submission is only one of them,” Zhang was quoted as saying by the Xinhua News Agency after becoming the third UFC female fighter to regain the strawweight belt.
“Today is my dream come true,” zhang said.
“Zhang’s victory projected positive energy for the good of society, which has been unsettled by COVID-19, and encouraged more children, especially girls, to participate in combat sports, such as wrestling and boxing, and promote the development of these sports in China,” Wang Renwei, professor at the Shanghai University of Sport told the Global Times on Sunday.
“By participating in such competitive sports, children can better learn the spirit of perseverance, endurance and toughness, which will play a positive role in the development of the whole society,” Wang added.
“This is totally congratulatory news! But we should also see that Zhang’s victory is not about winning or losing in one event, rather about evolving the iron-willed spirit in oneself during the process of participating in competitions, and the self-growing one has achieved in sports skills and personality through mutual encouragement with their pairs during sports,” Ren
Hai, professor at the Olympic Research Center of Beijing Sports University told the Global Times.
“The value of sports lies in participation, which is what China’s current sports education needs to learn from,” Ren added.
From claiming the gold belt for the first time three years ago to being knocked down by Namajunas, and to finally returning to the peak again on this occasion, Zhang said she has never stopped learning and making progress.
When asked about what was different about herself based on what she has
experienced between now and the time first winning the champion in 2019, she said: “My mentality has changed a lot. I’ve become tougher and stronger, but at the same time I can deal with issues in a calmer way.”
“The most important thing I want to tell everyone is that the path is not always smooth, and there will be ups and downs during the process. But this is the most beautiful part of life, and we should enjoy it,” Zhang said.
“The champions of each weight of UFC are constantly changing. Whether win or lose, becoming champions is only a temporary thing, and no one can keep the title forever. Therefore, the most important thing is to show your ability and fighting skills in every game,” she added.
Zhang became the first Asian to win the UFC title in 2019. Losing her belt to Rose Namajunas in 2021, Zhang struggled back in 2022 with a knockout over Joanna Jedrzejczyk in June, said Xinhua.