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Mathew Scott

China’s Zhang “Magnum” Weili came into 2020 saying she planned to build on her legacy in the UFC. Boy did she deliver.
Zhang (21-1) – China’s first UFC champion – went to war in defending her title for the first time, against Poland’s former champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk (16-4) back at UFC 248 in Las Vegas in March.




In the end, the 31-year-old had just the one bout for the year but what a fight it was.
Together the pair threw an incredible 800-odd strikes at each other, including 182 significant strikes between them across the fifth and final round, by which time the damage Zhang had inflicted on Jedrzejczyk was there for all the world to see as a nasty hematoma had blown up to gruesome proportions.


Fight of the Year? Pretty much a certainty, and among the best the sport has ever seen as Zhang took the split decision.
Zhang’s rise to the title – which she won via 42-second TKO of Brazil’s Jessica Andrade in Shenzhen in August 2019 – had already captured the country’s imagination, and helped push into focus a sport previously on the fringes of people’s attention.
Zhang vs Yan fight would see UFC put China in a chokehold
The ripples are still being felt, and there’s a surge of attention swirling around just what might be ahead next for the Handan-born fighter.
Among the challengers in the mix might well be the No 3-ranked, and Shenyang-born, Yan “Fury” Xiaonan (13-1, one no contest), a fact that speaks to the success rate the UFC is having with its Chinese fighters.
There are nine from China on the Las Vegas-based organisation’s books, of whom one is a world champion (Zhang), while two are top 15 (Yan and No 14-ranked bantamweight Song Yadong). There are also two more (welterweight Li Jingliang and flyweight Su Mudaerji) who sit just outside the rankings in their respective divisions.

Things were obviously quiet at the UFC’s regional headquarters in Shanghai as China dealt with the pandemic, but the Performance Institute sprang into life again towards the end of the year.
It’s now pretty much back into full swing with fighters focused on 2021 and a resumption of some degree of normalcy after a year which saw no UFC events held in China because of the pandemic, and plans for the first season of Dana White’s Contender Series Asia placed on hold.
When asked for his stand-outs for 2020, the UFC’s senior vice-president of Asia-Pacific Kevin Chang pointed first to Zhang’s efforts back then in March, but also to the reverberations from that epic that have continued to be felt since.

“I think it’s one of the greatest fights we’ve had as an organisation ever,” says Chang. “It’s been trending everywhere throughout the year. For us in China it was a pivotal moment. It was the top search on Baidu, it trended on Weibo for three or four days, and on Douyin.”
Zhang’s growing fame has seen the fighter named on his year’s Forbes China Celebrity List while she’s also now the face of the Estee Lauder cosmetics company in China.
Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Yan managed to get two fights in across the year, for two wins, despite disruptions to both her fight camp and travel plans caused by Covid-19 enforced restrictions everywhere where she went – or wanted to go.

In beating the Brazilian former contender Claudia Gadelha (18-5) via unanimous decision last month, Yan’s title credentials were finally laid out in plain sight.
Despite being the first female fighter from China signed by the UFC, back in 2017, there had been little previous fanfare about her run. And it’s now at 6-0 in the UFC.
“She just really showed her skills against Claudia, how she belongs in the top echelon. She’s really sending a message that there’s a really deep talent pool in China,” says Chang.

On the men’s side of the game there were wins for two explosive talents in the 23-year-old Song, who’s at 5-0-1 in the UFC and surely edging closer to a test against a top-ranked opponent early on in 2021.
“The Kung Fu Monkey” picked up a Fight of the Night bonus in taking a decision over the No 15-ranked Ecuadorean Marlon Vera (16-7-1) in a result that many questioned. But the record now stands, regardless.
The big surprise was the 24-year-old Su Mudaerji (13-4), now finding his feet among the flyweights. “The Tibetan Eagle” has the UFC commentators buzzing over his height, and reach – for a flyweight he looks long and lean – and the fact he can land hard, as evidenced by 44-second knockout of Canadian Malcolm Gordon (12-5) in November.

“His style, his whole approach has been impressive and what’s even more rewarding for us he spent a lot of time training and the PI so we are already seeing that investment paying off,” says Chang.
Welterweight Song “The Assassin” Kenan (16-5) picked up another win – taking his run to 4-1 – with a first-round knockout of Australian Callan Potter (18-9) back in February but there was disappointment for the veteran welterweight Li “The Leech” Jingliang (17-6).
The 32-year-old Li had a 3-0 run stopped by the tricky American Neil Magny (24-7) on that UFC 248 undercard back in March, looking out of sorts on the night and later revealing he’d got his travel plans and preparations wrong.

He’d primed himself for a crack at American Dwight Grant (10-3) at this month’s UFC 256 and a charge into the rankings, but must now wait for that bout to be rescheduled after his would-be opponent tested Covid-19 positive.
“This is just the beginning for Chinese fighters,” says Li. “We have shown we can compete with the best in the world and there is another generation coming out now. We are learning and improving all the time.”
Li has been among the groundbreakers for MMA across his 13 years of fighting and, like Zhang, has expanded his interests into the commercial world, and even a series of reality TV appearances.

It’s a reflection of the sport’s growth and the UFC reports that by year’s end it had around 10 million social media followers and its videos had been viewed around 3.5 billion times across 2020.
“Every single metric is skyrocketing. It’s one thing to give you these stats but we’ve had validation from third parties as well,” says Chang. “Our topics are trending when we have significant fights. We’re overtaking other topics like politics and general news. We’ve also gained mainstream media interest.
“Since that Zhang Weili-Joanna fight, CCTV and Xinhua are starting to cover us regularly and ask for content about other fighters like Yan Xiaonan and Song Yadong. So we’ve been very encouraged by what we see and we’re looking for 2021 as another breakout year.”


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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

UFC: Zhang Weili’s ‘pivotal moment’ vs Joanna Jedrzejczyk caps breakout year for Chinese fighters

Zhang Weili faces off with Joanna Jedrzejczyk at the UFC 248 ceremonial weigh-ins. Photo: Amy Kaplan

Zhang Weili, left, connects with a punch to Joanna Jedrzejczyk during the second round of a women's strawweight UFC 248 mixed martial arts bout Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

UFC women's strawweight champion Weili Zhang, right, of China, gets kicked by former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland during UFC 248 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Saturday, March 7, 2020.(Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Zhang Weili celebrates her win by decision over Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the women's strawweight championship mixed martial arts bout at UFC 248 on Saturday, March 7, 2020, in Las Vegas. (L.E. Baskow/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 07: Neil Magny punches Li Jingliang to a unanimous win during UFC 248 at T-Mobile Arena on March 07, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 28: (R-L) Su Mudaerji of Tibet punches Malcolm Gordon in their flyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night at UFC APEX on November 28, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - MAY 16: Song Yadong (R) of China fights Marlon Vera (L) of Ecuador in their Featherweight bout during UFC Fight Night at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on May 16, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 07: (R-L) Yan Xiaonan of China punches Claudia Gadelha of Brazil in a strawweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on November 07, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

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Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson kicks Geoff Neal in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC Apex on December 19, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photos: Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 19: (L-R) Geoff Neal punches Stephen Thompson in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 19, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 19: Stephen Thompson reacts after his victory over Geoff Neal in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 19, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)

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UFC women's strawweight champion Zhang Weili of China kicks former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland during UFC 248. Photo: AP

UFC women's strawweight champion Weili Zhang of China and former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland during UFC 248 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Saturday, March 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus)/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

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UFC women's strawweight champion Zhang Weili of China celebrates her split decision victory over former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland during UFC 248 in Las Vegas. Photo: AP

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 07: Joanna Jedrzejczyk at the end of her fight during a split decision loss to Weili Zhang in a strawweight title bout at T-Mobile Arena on March 07, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

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Sport

Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts


Strawweight champion in running for Fight of the Year after war with Joanna Jedrzejczyk
‘It’s one of the greatest fights we’ve had as an organisation ever,’ says the UFC’s Kevin Chang – ‘it’s been trending throughout the year’



UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili’s heroics in Fight of the Year front runner against Joanna Jedrzejczyk leads a strong surge from Chinese fighters in 2020.


Sporting year in review 2020

UFC: Zhang Weili’s ‘pivotal moment’ vs Joanna Jedrzejczyk caps breakout year for Chinese fighters

Strawweight champion in running for Fight of the Year after war with Joanna Jedrzejczyk ‘It’s one of the greatest fights we’ve had as an organisation ever,’ says the UFC’s Kevin Chang – ‘it’s been trending throughout the year’

Strawweight champion in running for Fight of the Year after war with Joanna Jedrzejczyk

‘It’s one of the greatest fights we’ve had as an organisation ever,’ says the UFC’s Kevin Chang – ‘it’s been trending throughout the year’