Zhang Weili wants UFC pay-per-view in China for ‘one billion MMA fans’
- Dana White is confident new strawweight champ can continue to ‘ignite the market’ in her native China
- ‘I love everything about her … she is helping to blow this thing up in China,’ UFC boss says
Zhang Weili is hopeful of defending her new UFC strawweight title in China after reclaiming the belt in New York on Saturday night.
The 33-year-old “Magnum” submitted Carla Esparza in the UFC 281 co-main event at Madison Square Garden.
UFC president Dana White could not help but wear a big smile when discussing Zhang’s win at the post-event press conference, given one of his key markets now has a fighter with gold around her waist again.
“What you need to have to ignite a market is a badass fighter from that region and she is awesome,” White told reporters. “I love everything about her, the way she fights and trains, she’s an absolute killer.
“I love the fact that she loves to win so much. She loves being a world champion. I can’t say enough good things about her, and she is helping to blow this thing up in China.”
Whether the UFC can return to China for the first time since August 2019, when Zhang first won the belt in front of a rapturous Shenzhen crowd – remains to be seen, with tight Covid-19 restrictions still in place.
