Zhang Weili Plans to Challenge UFC Flyweight Champion Grasso
China’s fighting “Queen” Zhang Weili has set her sights on a new challenge and is ready to make history once again. The UFC strawweight champion has expressed her willingness to move up in weight to challenge UFC flyweight gold belt holder Alexa Grasso.
The announcement was made on Zhang Weili’s personal social media account, where she directly reached out to Grasso to issue the challenge. Grasso responded that she admires Zhang Weili and would like to defend her title against her, asking if Zhang Weili is willing to move up to 125 pounds. Without hesitation, Zhang Weili replied that she is ready to make the move and take on Grasso for the flyweight title.
The post quickly gained attention and support from fans, with nearly 40,000 likes and more than 1,000 replies. Even Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg joined in the conversation, expressing his interest in witnessing the fight.
Zhang Weili’s journey to this point has been nothing short of remarkable. As the first Chinese UFC champion, Zhang Weili made history in 2019 by defeating Jessica Andrade at UFC Fight Night Shenzhen. After successfully defending her title against Joanna in a thrilling five-round battle, Zhang Weili became a household name in the world of mixed martial arts.
However, setbacks followed as Zhang Weili faced two consecutive losses to Rose Namajunas, causing a temporary downturn in her career. But the resilient fighter remained determined to reclaim her title, blocking out outside noise and focusing on her goal.
From humble beginnings as a “Beijing drifter girl,” Zhang Weili persevered and worked various odd jobs to make ends meet before finding her calling in the fighting world. Her dedication and relentless training ultimately led her to become a UFC champion.
After regaining the strawweight title with a victory over Carla Esparza at UFC 281, Zhang Weili has continued to dominate the division. Now, with her sights set on the flyweight belt, she is ready to take on the challenge and make her mark in a new weight class.
The stage is set for a potentially historic showdown between Zhang Weili and Grasso, and fans around the world are eagerly anticipating what promises to be an electrifying fight.