Data map: On June 15, 2020, UFC Women's Strawweight World Champion Zhang Weili conducted a 2-hour media open training at the UFC Training Center in Shanghai. The picture shows punching training. Photo by Zhang Hengwei
At noon on November 13, Beijing time, at Madison Square Garden in New York, Chinese MMA player Zhang Weili defeated the current women's strawweight champion Carla Esparza after two rounds of fierce battles to regain the belt that had been lost for a year and a half.
regression
Remember that in June this year, Zhang Weili defeated Joanna to win the right to challenge for the belt. This long-lost victory is like a long drought, and is considered by the outside world to be Zhang Weili's milestone in the comeback. In the face of comments from the outside world, Zhang Weili once said that regaining the belt is a real return.
This time, she fulfilled her promise and regained her peak with a lost and recovered belt.
After the start of the match, the two sides tested each other, and then Zhang Weili took the initiative to attack, and then Kara was pressed by Zhang Weili. In the second round, Kara continued to fall, and Zhang Weili quickly submitted to her opponent to end the match.
After winning this bout, Zhang Weili became the third fighter to regain the strawweight title after Ross and Carla. It has been three years since she first received this supreme honor.
Data map: On March 8, 2020, China's first UFC champion Zhang Weili successfully defended her title by defeating Poland's Joanna in five rounds by defeating Poland's Joanna in five rounds in the UFC 248 women's strawweight world title defense match in Las Vegas, USA.
Trough
In 2019, the girl from rural Hebei defeated Jessica Andrade in a championship match, becoming the first UFC champion in Chinese history. A year later, facing the challenge of Joanna of Poland, Zhang Weili fought against him for 5 rounds, and finally won the points to successfully defend the belt.
It was also through this game that Zhang Weili's name became popular all over the country. Standing at the peak, she is worshipped and admired by people, but also longs to keep the gold belt in China.
Data map: On the morning of April 25, 2021, on the night of UFC 261 in Florida, USA, strawweight champion Zhang Weili lost to Ross in the title defense match. The picture shows Zhang Weili at the scene of the game.
In the arena of victory or defeat, no one can win forever. Championship titles are honors and pressures. Countless mixed martial artists have identified Zhang Weili as a target for a challenge. For "Thug Rose" Namayunas, she is eager to prove her dominance in the circle by knocking out Zhang Weili.
78 seconds may be a number that Zhang Weili will never forget in her life. In the first fight with Ross, Zhang Weili lost lightningly. In the rematch half a year later, the two sides played a full five rounds, and Zhang Weili lost again by disagreement decision. Two consecutive defeats, in sharp contrast to her previous 21-game winning streak, also fell into a trough.
spallation
Sometimes, failure can be calm. After the rematch with Ross, Zhang Weili, who had everything in zero, began to block out the outside voice, learning to focus only on herself: "No one will always succeed, especially adversarial projects." I don't think the mentality should be too anxious, and before the rematch, I kept holding my breath in my heart. After the fight, I felt that I should do a good job in the moment. ”
With such a process-oriented mentality, Zhang Weili defeated Joanna for the second time and got the opportunity to play Carla Esparza.
Data map: On June 15, 2020, UFC Women's Strawweight World Champion Zhang Weili conducted a 2-hour media open training at the UFC Training Center in Shanghai. The picture shows punching training. Photo by Zhang Hengwei
From getting the belt for the first time three years ago and being knocked out by Ross, to returning to the top. Zhang Weili said that she has never stopped learning and improving.
When asked how I have changed since when I first challenged for the championship three years ago, Zhang Weili said: "My mentality has adjusted a lot, I think I have better resilience, become stronger and can look at a lot of things calmly. ”
"Most importantly, I want to tell everyone that the road is not easy, there are bound to be ups and downs, and this is the most beautiful part of life, and we should enjoy it."
Persevering until now, Zhang Weili, who has experienced troughs and glory, has also gained a deeper understanding of the word champion: "The champions of each weight class of the UFC are constantly changing, whether you win or lose, becoming a champion is only temporary, and all champions will eventually change hands." Compared to that, the most important thing is to show my ability in every fight, my fighting skills. ”
When winning the belt is no longer her end, we wish Zhang Weili to continue to defeat herself in her favorite martial arts field. (Reporter Xing Rui)
(China News Network)