On June 12, Beijing time, Zhang Weili will fight her old rival Joanna again in the UFC 275 in Singapore. It's been 826 days since the two met in UFC 248 in Las Vegas. Speaking of the Second World War, Zhang Weili revealed a look that had already understood everything: "I knew that I would definitely fight the Second World War!" ”
Before entering the UFC, Zhang Weili regarded Joanna as the number one imaginary enemy. On The day of Women's Day in 2020, Zhang Weili met Joanna for the first time in an octagonal cage and joined forces to stage a "blood war" that was recorded in history. Despite the difficulties of "water poisoning" before the game, Zhang Weili, who was in a state of "residual blood", still used 169 heavy blows to make Joanna's forehead swollen like an "alien", and finally disagreed to win the game. UFC President Dana Bai praised: "It's not just the best women's game I've ever seen, it's one of the best games I've ever seen in my life. ”
After the first battle between the two, the grass level changed dramatically. Zhang Weili lost twice to "Rose" Ross-Namayunas and lost the championship belt. Joanna also did not taste the taste of victory after the match with Zhang Weili, and even did not step into the octagon cage for 27 months, only showing the other side of herself on social media - no sweat, no scars, enjoying life, but the top champion with the longest reign in the history of grass weight is ready to return to the octagon cage.
The first game between me and Zhang Weili was one of the best games in history, and I believe this one will be better. We will attract the attention of audiences all over the world. There is no pressure on me and I will give it my all. I was preparing for an uphill battle and after two years I was in a better shape and it was a surprise to me.
For this game, Zhang Weili was equally excited in her heart. "Personally, I really welcome Joanna back, we are playing again in two years, we are very excited, I believe it is a very good game, a very meaningful battle."
Originally, Zhang Weili planned to go to the United States to prepare for the competition and compete in July. But when she heard the news of Singapore's hosting, she offered to join the Singapore Battle Card, so she adjusted the preparation location - to Phuket, Thailand.
Originally I was going to the United States at the end of March to train in The Night Ready, I heard that Singapore was hosting a tournament, I felt that I could get closer to home, in better shape, I have not been to Singapore. In the Singapore game, I did not go to the United States to prepare, because after going there, I had to lose the jet lag, and when I came back, I had to reverse the jet lag, so I chose to come to Thailand to prepare. The environment and climate here are very similar to Singapore, and you can focus more on training. In Beijing, there are many things, away from the previous comfortable environment, to the new environment can be more focused, more pure.
In order to concentrate on preparing for the battle, Zhang Weili did not choose the well-known Tiger Boxing Gym, but the newly opened Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA Boxing Gym. There are fewer people here, the epidemic prevention work is simpler, and it is conducive to training and confidentiality. Zhang Weili's team consists of six people, in addition to the "military master" Cai Xuejun, Muay Thai coach, wrestling coach and Sanda coach, there is also a documentary filmmaker.
Cai Xuejun said:
Our training plan for Weili is to continuously improve the technology, strengthen the basic skills, flexibility, and sense of distance. Compared with the past, I feel that Wei Li's strength, penetration, and starting speed have increased.
Before the last match, Zhang Weili came to the Us Night Ready Boxing Gym to prepare for the game, and with the help of former UFC doubleweight champion Henry Sehudo, evolved into the "2.0 version". This time in Thailand to prepare for the war, she will also continue to consolidate and integrate what she has learned before.
In Thailand, we mainly train according to our own plans, adding new things to the MMA details technology. Training at Night Ready last year gave me a deeper understanding of MMA, and their plans were particularly detailed, and if they had been longer, the results would have been better. At that time, less than 2 months of preparation, many techniques were newly learned, although used in the game, it was still relatively rusty, and it was impossible to integrate the learned style with the previous style, and this time it would be better integrated.
Although UFC275 is held in Singapore, in order to take care of the viewing habits of North American audiences, the game is still arranged according to The North American time, and the main tournament starts in the morning, although there is no need to reverse the jet lag, but it compresses the recovery time after weight loss. In the last game with Rose, Zhang Weili had problems in the weight loss link, and the lack of hydration after the game greatly affected her physical fitness, and even the blood in the urine after the urine test. In order to avoid such problems, Zhang Weili has begun to pay attention to eating less carbs and less oil and salt in advance. This time, she learned her lesson not to use a complete sauna dehydration method, but to lose weight by running and a sauna combination.
Compared to the past, I enjoyed the game more mentally, and I used to be a little anxious and a little hesitant. By slowly adjusting, it's much better now. Before playing UFC, I took the game as a vacation, and now I feel a little bit back to my old form – it's hard to practice, it's easy to play.
The biggest difference between the second battle and the first is that the number of rounds has been adjusted from five to three. A "dark battle" around the number of rounds quietly began, and Joanna hoped to change the game to 5 rounds on the grounds that fans were expecting it. Joanna has been playing five rounds in recent years, and has not played a three-legged game for a long time, so she is not very accustomed to the rhythm of the three-legged game. Coupled with her two years off, it takes some time to regain her on-court feel, so five rounds is more beneficial to Joanna than three.
Zhang Weili saw through Joanna's thoughts and sent out a soul percussion:
I don't care, for me, three rounds and five rounds are just different tactical approaches. Joanna wants to play five rounds more, is three rounds not enough to play? One round is enough to seize the opportunity, but three more rounds?
Zhang Weili plans to go to the United States with the team to prepare for training after the game with Joanna. When asked when she would come back, Zhang Weili confidently said: "I plan to take the gold belt back." ”
I want to play the championship battle as quickly as possible. If Joanna is particularly easy to KO, it is possible that the next game will take the right to challenge, if the fight is more difficult, play a full round to win, there may be a need to play another game!
Referring to the opponent she wanted to fight next, Zhang Weili said Rodriguez's name. Before the match with Joanna was decided, Zhang Weili had made an appointment to fight her, but the opponent avoided fighting.
Zhang Weili, who has experienced defeat, traveled lightly, hoping to win another victory over Joanna and restart the journey to the championship.
Joanna hasn't played in over two years, but I don't have the idea of winning her before, and I have to be very serious about preparing. Mentally relaxed, tactically not relaxed. In the octagon, I never anticipate the game because anything can happen.