Zhang Weili arrived in the UFC on this day in 2018, and her journey to the Octagon had not come easy.
In seven years under the UFC banner, Zhang has established herself as a leading name in the race for GOAT status at 115 pounds courtesy of two title reigns.
Her first stint on the strawweight throne was brought to an end by Rose Namajunas after one successful defense — a victory over Joanna Jedrzejczyk in an all-time classic. The Chinese star worked her way back to the top, where she has ruled since November 2022.
Zhang’s résumé is among the best of any active fighter in the UFC, but creating such a legacy once looked a far-off prospect for ‘Magnum’.
Zhang Weili was in her ‘darkest period’ during persistent injury years before UFC title success
Zhang made her Octagon debut at UFC 227, an event headlined by TJ Dillashaw’s rematch against Cody Garbrandt on August 4, 2018. She dominated Danielle Taylor en route to a unanimous decision victory, kicking off what would be a quick surge toward UFC gold.
But just four years prior, Zhang was not even sure if she had a future in MMA.
In a column for The Players’ Tribune a few months after Zhang ran through Jessica Andrade at UFC Shenzhen to become strawweight champion, the Chinese star recalled the health adversity she faced soon after committing to a career in the cage.
“In 2014 I quit my job to pursue a career in MMA,” Zhang said. “There were so many doubts. … I told my family that I didn’t want to have any regrets when I turned 30. I told them to give me three years to make it as a pro, otherwise I’d get a normal job.
“Not long after I had turned pro — I’d only had two fights — I pulled or twisted something near my right waist while doing a high, sweeping kick during training. I rested for a week, but the pain refused to go away.
“Soon, I had to stop training altogether,” Zhang continued. “I couldn’t walk straight. It even hurt to sleep. I had to enter rehab. It was the darkest period of my life.”
While Zhang feared that her future in MMA was over, one phone call came to the rescue.
“Not long after that I got a phone call. It was the manager of my old gym,” Zhang recalled. “He asked why I had stopped going there. I told him about my injury, and then he did something far better than giving me my old job back: He introduced me to other doctors — better doctors.
“By June 2015 my lower back was feeling better. My body had recovered. And I wanted to fight again.
“It took months to get an opportunity,” Zhang added. “Everyone was ignoring me because I had been out for so long. But in December I got a chance at Kunlun Fight. … When I won my first fight on a TKO, it caught people’s attention. Suddenly everyone wanted to invite me to tournaments.”
Zhang went on to compete another 13 times across the next two years, securing her shot in the UFC. The rest, as they say, is history.
- LATEST UFC NEWS: Sean O’Malley is backing Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 after seeing Israel Adesanya ‘dominate’ Dricus du Plessis
Zhang Weili could rival Amanda Nunes for women’s GOAT status in the UFC
When it comes to what lies ahead for Zhang, the strawweight queen has made it clear she wants a shot at making history in the UFC.
Zhang called Valentina Shevchenko out after the flyweight champion’s victory over Manon Fiorot to successfully defend her belt at UFC 315 this past May. ‘Magnum’ is looking to follow in Amanda Nunes’ footsteps by becoming only the second female double champion in the promotion’s history.
And should Zhang succeed in that goal, the ‘Lioness’ may find herself with GOAT competition.
As talk of Nunes returning to challenge Kayla Harrison picks up, Jon Anik gave his two cents on the topic during an interview with Bodog Canada. The UFC commentator warned Nunes of losing GOAT status to either Zhang or Shevchenko should she not further enhance her legacy against Harrison.
“I don’t know that Amanda Nunes necessarily has realized financial freedom in totality that would make her not want to sort of risk legacy,” Anik said.
“And I will also say, too – I don’t like the greatest of all time conversation…but Zhang Weili and Valentina Shevchenko are absolutely on Amanda’s heels.
“The greatest female mixed martial arts athlete of all time conversation, not that it’s ever closed, but it felt a lot more closed when she retired after the Irene Aldana fight than it does now. Valentina has a s–t ton of momentum and Zhang Weili might be the best athlete in all of pro sports.”