Next Saturday at UFC 248, Zhang Weili doesn’t just defend her UFC women’s strawweight title. She looks to continue her quiet but forceful journey up the list of the best 115-pounders in MMA history.
Thus far, China’s first UFC champ has proven worthy of the mantle, using deceptive power and creativity to flat-out dominate opponents. She’s also a consummate professional, radiating smarts, humility and plain old friendliness whenever someone thinks to pass her the mic.
Her opponent next Saturday, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, is a former dominant champ herself. You may know her. She’s fallen on hard times of late, dropping three of her last five and making some odd and inflammatory comments along the way.