Yan Xiaonan will challenge Zhang Weili for the UFC strawweight title at UFC 300, marking the first time two Chinese fighters have challenged each other for a UFC title.
Yan Xiaonan’s dream is coming true. She’s going head-to-head with Zhang Weili for the UFC strawweight title at UFC 300. Dana White, UFC’s big boss, spilled the beans on Wednesday.
This Zhang vs. Yan showdown is a big deal. It’s the first time two Chinese fighters are squaring off for a UFC title. Plus, it’s adding some serious weight to the title lineup for UFC 300, a mega event, happening April 13 at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.
White’s take on the fight? He took to Instagram and said, “This fight has badass written all over it.”
Yan’s record in her last eight fights is 6-2. She had her heart set on fighting for the title in China. She even mentioned on The MMA Hour that White was on board with the idea. Interestingly, she thinks she’s got more haters back home than fans. But, no worries about that now. She’s heading to UFC’s home turf with the champ.
Yan’s last fight was a knockout. She took down ex-champ Jessica Andrade at UFC 288. That win extended her current winning streak to two fights. This streak is a comeback from a two-fight slump, where she lost to ex-champ Carla Esparza and Marina Rodriguez.
Zhang is going for her second title defense in her second term as UFC strawweight champ. She defended her title last by outpointing Amanda Lemos at UFC 292.
UFC 300 is still missing a headliner. White has teased “at least” two more big announcements for the fight card on Thursday. One of the high-profile bouts to look out for is the crucial lightweight fight between ex-champ Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan.