Zhang Weili Defends UFC Flyweight Title with a Vintage Performance Over Yan Xiaonan

At UFC 300, Zhang Weili put on a vintage performance, showcasing her skills in a hard-fought battle against challenger Yan Xiaonan. In the end, Zhang emerged victorious with a unanimous decision win, with scores of 49-45 across the board. This successful title defense marked the second time Zhang has defended her belt in her second reign as UFC flyweight champion.

The fight began with controversy as Yan’s cornerman was seen putting his finger in her nose during the first round, sparking speculation that smelling salts were used to revive her. However, it was later clarified that no smelling salts were used. Despite this incident, Zhang continued to dominate the fight, landing significant strikes on Yan who was mainly focused on defending herself. Although Zhang lost some steam as the fight progressed, her early lead put Yan in a position where she needed a finish to claim victory. However, Yan was unable to secure the finish and Zhang retained her championship and prevented Yan from becoming the second Chinese UFC champion.

Statistically, Zhang outperformed Yan in significant strikes, takedowns and control time demonstrating her superiority in the fight. The first round saw Zhang locking in a chokehold on Yan which nearly put her opponent to sleep but she managed to survive until the bell rang appearing disoriented and woozy when getting up from mat. Despite some challenges in later rounds