Zhang Weili facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zhang Weili
Zhang in 2022
Born	(1990-08-13) August 13, 1990 (age 35) Handan, Hebei, China
Native name	张伟丽
Other names	Weili Zhang
Height	5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Weight	115 lb (52 kg; 8.2 st)
Division	Strawweight (2013–present) Flyweight (2016)
Reach	63 in (160 cm)
Fighting out of	Beijing, China
Team	Black Tiger Fight Club Fight Ready Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA
Trainer	Xuejun Cai (MMA) Pedro Jordão & Josh Hinger (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) Chong Xie (Hyperarch Fascia Training)
Rank	Brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Pedro Jordão
Years active	2013–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	29
Wins	26
By knockout	11
By submission	8
By decision	7
Losses	3
By knockout	1
By decision	2

Zhang Weili (Chinese: 张伟丽; pinyin: Zhāng Wěilì), born on August 13, 1990, is a professional mixed martial artist from China. She is a top fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and has been the UFC Women's Strawweight Champion two times. Zhang Weili was the first Chinese fighter to ever win a UFC championship. Before joining the UFC, she was also a champion in another fighting league called Kunlun Fight (KLF).

About Zhang Weili

Early Life and Training

Zhang Weili grew up in Handan, Hebei, China. Her father was a miner, and her mother was a homemaker. She has an older brother who now works at her gym to support her career.

Zhang started learning martial arts when she was very young, at just six years old. She was inspired by Kung Fu films and began training in Shaolin Kung Fu. In primary school, she played many sports like athletics, football, and table tennis. When she was 12, her parents sent her to a special martial arts school. There, she trained in Sanda and Shuai Jiao. She won Sanda championships in her home province many times. However, a back injury made her stop the sport early.

Starting Her Fighting Career

At 17, Zhang moved to Beijing and worked different jobs, including a cashier, kindergarten teacher, and security guard. In 2010, she found a job as a fitness instructor at a gym. This allowed her to use the gym's equipment for free after hours. She also started learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu there. Later, she met famous Chinese MMA fighter Wu Haotian, who became her idol. In 2012, he introduced her to Black Tiger Fight Club, where coach Cai Xuejun saw her talent and began training her in MMA.

Zhang shared in 2019 that Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen and his 2007 movie Flashpoint inspired her to get into MMA. She also said that watching Ronda Rousey's fight in 2013 motivated her to become a full-time MMA fighter.

Becoming a Professional Fighter

Zhang Weili began her professional MMA career in 2013. She lost her first fight, but then she won 11 fights in a row! On May 25, 2017, she won the Kunlun Fight Female Strawweight Championship. She defended this title two times. She also won the Top FC Strawweight Championship on July 22, 2017. By the time she joined the UFC, she had an amazing record of 16 wins and only 1 loss.

Joining the UFC

Zhang made her UFC debut on August 4, 2018, winning against Danielle Taylor. She continued her winning streak in the UFC, defeating Jessica Aguilar and Tecia Torres.

Becoming a UFC Champion

On August 31, 2019, Zhang Weili fought Jéssica Andrade for the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship. She won the fight very quickly in the first round, becoming the new champion. This made her the first UFC champion from China! This win also earned her a "Performance of the Night" bonus.

Defending Her Title

For her first title defense, Zhang faced former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk on March 7, 2020. This was a very tough fight, and many people called it one of the greatest women's MMA fights ever. Zhang won by a split decision, successfully defending her title. This fight also earned her a "Fight of the Night" award.

On April 24, 2021, Zhang defended her title against Rose Namajunas. She lost the fight by knockout in the first round. They had a rematch on November 6, 2021, but Zhang lost again by a split decision.

Winning the Title Again

Zhang Weili had a rematch with Joanna Jędrzejczyk on June 11, 2022. Zhang won this fight with a spinning backfist knockout in the second round. This impressive win earned her another "Performance of the Night" award.

On November 12, 2022, Zhang fought Carla Esparza for the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship again. Zhang won the fight by submission in the second round, becoming the champion for the second time! After this win, she was promoted to a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Zhang defended her title against Amanda Lemos on August 19, 2023. She won by a unanimous decision after a very strong performance. She landed many more strikes than her opponent, setting a new record for women's UFC fights. This win also earned her a "Performance of the Night" bonus.

On April 13, 2024, Zhang defended her title against Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300, winning by unanimous decision. Her most recent title defense was on February 9, 2025, at UFC 312, where she defeated Tatiana Suarez by unanimous decision.

Beyond Fighting

Outside of fighting, Zhang Weili has worked with several big brands. In May 2020, she became a brand ambassador for Estée Lauder cosmetics in China. She also appeared in a commercial for Audi. In 2021, she became a global ambassador for Hyperice, a recovery technology company. She has also had deals with clothing brands like Under Armour and Heilan Home, and companies like JingDong and Wusu Beer.

Amazing Achievements

Zhang Weili has achieved many great things in her career:

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • UFC Women's Strawweight Champion (Two times, Current)
    • She has successfully defended her title four times in total.
    • She is tied for the most title fight wins in UFC Women's Strawweight history (6 wins).
    • She was the first Chinese champion in UFC history.
  • She won "Fight of the Night" once (vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk 1).
  • She won "Performance of the Night" four times (vs. Jéssica Andrade, Joanna Jędrzejczyk 2, Carla Esparza & Amanda Lemos).
  • She is tied for the second most wins in UFC Women's Strawweight division history (10 wins).
  • She holds the record for the largest difference in strikes landed in a women's UFC fight (vs. Amanda Lemos).
• Kunlun Fight
  • KLF Female Strawweight Champion (One time)
    • She defended this title two times.
• Top Fighting Championship
  • Top FC Strawweight Champion (One time)

She has also won many awards from different sports news outlets, including:

• "Fight of the Year" for her fight against Joanna Jędrzejczyk in 2020 from many sources like MMAJunkie.com, MMA Fighting, ESPN, and Yahoo! Sports.
• "Female Fighter of the Year" in 2022 from MMAJunkie.com, Cageside Press, BT Sport, ESPN, and Yahoo! Sports.
• "Women's MMA MVP" in 2022 and 2024 from Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Mixed martial arts record

See also

In Spanish: Weili Zhang para niños

• List of current UFC fighters
• List of female mixed martial artists