ZHANG WEILI

Representing China, Zhang Weili established herself as a pioneering force by becoming the first athlete from her nation to secure a UFC championship. A two-time titleholder in the strawweight division, she developed her versatile striking and grappling skills across prominent organizations like Kunlun Fight before joining the global promotion in 2018. Her career is highlighted by high-profile triumphs over competitors such as Carla Esparza, Amanda Lemos, and Joanna Jędrzejczyk. After years of dominance at strawweight, she eventually moved up to compete as a flyweight, training at facilities including Fight Ready, Black Tiger Fight Club, and Bangtao Muay Thai & MMA.

Heading into this competition, Zhang carries a professional record of 26-4-0. Her most recent appearance resulted in a unanimous decision loss to Valentina Shevchenko. Prior to that setback, she enjoyed a four-fight winning streak, earning unanimous decisions against Tatiana Suarez, Yan Xiaonan, and Amanda Lemos, as well as a submission victory over Carla Esparza via rear-naked choke.