Shenzhen (China) (AFP)
Zhang Weili did not disappoint the crowd who came to watch her fight at home in Shentzen, becoming the first UFC Chinese title winner in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) on Saturday, thanks to an unstoppable KO obtained in 41 short seconds over the championship champion. the straw category, Jessica Andrade.
Two-thirds of a minute was enough for Zhang "Magnum" Weili to deliver several series of ultra-efficient knee-to-knee sequences, to the most experienced Brazilian who tried to gain the upper hand at the start of the fight.
Finally on the ground, curled up in a corner of the "Octagon", the Brazilian holds the most fights won by a woman from the UFC, sees the end of the rain of blows Made in China stop only thanks at the intervention of the referee, declaring by the same victory for Zhang Weili.
A lightning victory that will undoubtedly silence the criticisms that were expressed when the UFC revealed the name of the 30-year-old Chinese woman, only ranked 6th in the UFC in weight, to take up the challenge of being the first representative of the empire of the middle titrated in MMA (Multi-martial-arts), while facing the defending champion.
"As a Chinese woman, I am very proud," said the new champion. "And I want to dedicate this victory to the 70 years of the motherland," she added, referring to the anniversary of October 1, which will soon mark the birth of Communist China.
The Chinese market, on which the UFC relies heavily, is given as an important growth prospect for this sport. And UFC fights between women become recognized posters: the meeting Zhang vs Andrade was the third this year, where a fight between female athletes was headlining the evening.
To drive the point, the UFC opened this year the largest MMA training complex in the world, in Shanghai.
History to ensure that Zhang will be the first Chinese champion, but certainly not the last.
© 2019 AFP