Viewers information: Title battle highlights historic evening for UFC in China

Three months after claiming the UFC’s strawweight championship in her native Brazil, Jessica Andrade will return the favor by defending her belt in enemy territory — simply not in a battle in opposition to the identical girl who relinquished the strap to Andrade in Might.

Andrade (20-6) will make her first protection on Saturday in Shenzhen, China (three a.m. ET ESPN, 6 a.m. ESPN+), in opposition to Zhang Weili (19-1), the primary Chinese language fighter to compete for a UFC title. It is going to mark the second consecutive time a 115-pound champion will journey to a challenger’s yard to defend. Former champ Rose Namajunas did so in Might and surrendered the belt to Andrade by way of second-round knockout.

The UFC’s return to China incorporates a strawweight division championship battle, one which followers in Shenzhen have been anticipating for a number of months.
Zhang Weili, who’s 19-1 and fights out of Beijing, will look to take the title from Jessica Andrade in Saturday’s major occasion.

UFC Battle Night time: Andrade vs. Zhang
• Saturday, Shenzhen, China
• Prelims: ESPN, three a.m. ET
• Major card: ESPN+, 6 a.m. ET

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The placement of this battle takes on a good better significance when you think about the state of MMA in China.

The UFC has invested years — to not point out thousands and thousands of — into constructing its presence within the area. These efforts have included bringing Chinese language fighters to the US to coach, sending U.S. coaches to China for seminars, making a Chinese language model of its actuality collection “The Final Fighter” and, most not too long ago, the opening of a 93,000-square-foot Efficiency Institute in Shanghai.

After all, one of many main causes behind these initiatives is model consciousness, however the actual aim right here is growing expertise. With Chinese language expertise comes elevated MMA curiosity in China. And proper now Zhang is main the best way for the gifted class of Chinese language prospects popping up within the UFC.

On the finish of the day, that is nonetheless one battle between two ladies — an athletic contest to find out the very best 115-pound fighter on the planet. Nevertheless it additionally might have a large affect on what’s the UFC’s most sought-after market.

ESPN Stats & Data

By the numbers

Zero: Chinese language fighters, previous to Zhang, who’ve been given a UFC title shot. Actually, just one Asian fighter has ever received a UFC championship bout: Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan, who received the ladies’s flyweight belt in 2018 and has defended it twice this 12 months. Apart from Shevchenko, Asian fighters are Zero-Eight-1 in UFC title bouts.

15: UFC bouts fought by Andrade, essentially the most by a feminine fighter. She is tied with two-division champ Amanda Nunes for many UFC wins by a lady (11).

19: Consecutive victories by Zhang, who has not misplaced since dropping her skilled debut in 2013.

35: Takedowns by Andrade in UFC bouts, most amongst females within the promotion’s historical past.

16: Stoppages by Zhang amongst her 19 profession wins (9 by KO/TKO, seven by submission).

Supply: ESPN Stats & Data

A glance again

SLAM DUNK — If she did not know already, Rose Namajunas discovered in Might why Jessica Andrade’s nickname is “Bate Estaca” — Portuguese for “Pile Driver.” Alexandre Schneider/Getty Photographs

Preventing phrases

“The possibility is correct right here, proper in entrance of me. I have to seize the chance. Clearly, once I first heard of this, I used to be excited for some time, however in a while I acquired calmed. I calmed down myself, really.” — Zhang, by way of a translator, at a UFC information convention in Shanghai in June.

“I am wanting ahead to the match within the Octagon and to coming to China for the primary time. I’m very blissful. I have already got sensed the eagerness and hospitality of individuals right here.” — Andrade, additionally by way of a translator, on the similar information convention.

The UFC’s plans for China

Brett Okamoto’s decide

And the winner is … Zhang is an enormous strawweight. She’ll possible seem greater than Andrade on battle evening, which is saying one thing, contemplating Andrade used to battle at bantamweight, a weight class that is 20 kilos heavier. Zhang has actual ending expertise and the flexibility to take fights the place she needs them to go. If she have been preventing every other strawweight on the earth, I might in all probability decide her. However nearly as good as I imagine Zhang is, I have never forgotten how good Andrade has been in recent times. Andrade by way of TKO, third spherical.

Ready within the wings

1 Associated

Former champion Rose Namajunas must be first in line, if she needs and is prepared for a title rematch. If not, it comes all the way down to unbeaten Tatiana Suarez or the winner of the Oct. 12 battle between one other ex-champ, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and Michelle Waterson. Good choices all. The cabinet most actually just isn’t naked within the land of 115-pounders.

What to observe for … past the primary occasion

The nation’s main man

Zhang is perhaps the one getting the highlight on Saturday in entrance of the Chinese language followers, however it’s the homegrown half of the co-main occasion who has carried out essentially the most for the nation’s MMA profile. Li Jingliang, who faces Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in a welterweight bout, is 16-5 with eight UFC victories — essentially the most by a Chinese language fighter.

Jingliang, who’s on a two-fight successful streak, has had stoppages in 11 of his 16 victories (seven by KO/TKO, 4 by submission).

Zaleski dos Santos, who’s from Brazil, is 21-5 general, 7-1 within the UFC. He’s on a seven-fight win streak, tied for third longest amongst lively UFC welterweights.

Nickname of the (center of the) evening

There won’t be a number of massive names on Saturday’s card, however there certain are some nicknames. The principle occasion pits “Bate Estaca” (Portuguese for “Pile Driver,” which is ideal for Andrade) in opposition to “Magnum” (Zhang, who should be a Tom Selleck fan). Within the co-main, “The Leech” (Jingliang) faces “Capoeira” (the style-descriptive identify for Zaleski dos Santos).

The principle card additionally has a males’s flyweight bout between “The Bumblebee” (Mark De La Rosa) and “Do not Blink” (Kai Kara-France). The prelims function “The Asian Sensation” (bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath, who faces Su Mudaerji) and “Fluffy” (middleweight Anthony Hernandez, who meets Jun Yong Park).

Which nickname is better of the bunch? The judges rating it a multiple-way draw.