Sensational Zhang back with a bang

Chinese star's breathtaking knockout lands fresh shot at UFC strawweight belt

Zhang Weili punched her way back into title contention with a stunning knockout of Joanna Jedrzejczyk that sent the Pole into retirement and secured the Chinese MMA star another shot at UFC's strawweight belt.

Living up to its billing as a mouthwatering rematch of arguably the greatest women's UFC fight in history, Zhang ended the thrilling clash at UFC 275 by landing a spinning backfist to the neck of Jedrzejczyk in the second round, sending the crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium into a frenzy.

As the face of MMA in Asia, Zhang had the Singapore crowd chanting her name throughout the fight as Ultimate Fighting Championship made its return to the continent for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Zhang's ferocious stoppage, which was just the 10th spinning-back-fist KO in UFC history and the first ever by a woman, gave the former 115-pound (52-kilogram) titleholder a much-needed confidence boost following two straight losses last year. Afterward, the Chinese striker, known as "Magnum" in the Octagon, pledged to redouble her efforts to reconquer the division.

"My goal before the rematch was to demonstrate an all-out domination and I am so excited that I delivered," said Zhang, who won the strawweight title in 2019 but lost it to American Rose "Thug "Namajunas in her second defense in April 2021 in Florida.

Zhang suffered a second loss to Namajunas in their rematch six months later in New York, pushing the 32-year-old former fitness trainer and kindergarten teacher to train harder at home and then at a gym in Phuket, Thailand for a redemption bout.

"Now I can say I am back! I know there will be an event in October in Abu Dhabi, so come on, Carla (Esparza)! Let's have a fair fight in a neutral location for the title," a pumped-up Zhang said in her post-fight interview on stage, calling out the division's reigning champion.