Zhang Weili
Awards & Honours
8
Awards Won
6
Honours
5
Rankings
4
Covers
4
Records
Zhang Weili shattered barriers as the first Chinese fighter to win a UFC title, doing so in emphatic fashion with a 42-second knockout of Jessica Andrade. She successfully defended her belt in one of the greatest women's fights ever, a five-round war with Joanna Jędrzejczyk that earned Fight of the Year from multiple organizations. She regained the title after a loss, becoming a two-time champion. Her 11-fight UFC winning streak from 2019 to 2023 is a record for Chinese female fighters. In 2024, she headlined UFC 300, the first Chinese fighter to headline a UFC event in China.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
First Chinese UFC Champion
First fighter from China to win a UFC title.
First Chinese fighter to defend a UFC title
Defended the strawweight belt against Joanna Jędrzejczyk.
Guinness World Record
Longest winning streak by a Chinese female MMA fighter in the UFC (11 consecutive wins).
Honorary Citizen of Handan
Awarded by her hometown for her achievements.
Key to the City of Handan
Highest civic honor from her birthplace.
China Sports Media Award Best Female Athlete
Recognized as the top female athlete in Chinese sports media.
Rankings & Lists
UFC Women's Pound-for-Pound Rankings
UFC Women's Strawweight Rankings
UFC Women's Flyweight Rankings
ESPN Women's MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings
Sherdog Women's MMA Pound-for-Pound Rankings
Magazine Covers
Sports Illustrated
March 2020
The First Chinese UFC Champion
ESPN The Magazine
April 2021
The Face of Chinese MMA
GQ China
October 2023
The Queen of the Cage
Vogue China
August 2024
Strength & Grace
Records & Feats
First Chinese UFC Champion
Zhang became the first fighter from China to win a UFC title when she defeated Jessica Andrade in 2019.
First Chinese fighter to defend a UFC title
She successfully defended the strawweight belt against Joanna Jędrzejczyk in 2020.
Longest winning streak by a Chinese female in the UFC
Zhang won 11 consecutive UFC fights from 2019 to 2023, a record for Chinese female fighters.
Fastest knockout in a UFC women's strawweight title fight
Her 42-second TKO of Jessica Andrade is the fastest finish in a women's strawweight title bout.