Boston, MA — UFC women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili set a record for significant strikes in her UFC 292 title fight with Amanda Lemos — surpassing the mark previously held on the women’s side by Valentina Shevchenko.
As impressive as that record is, it’s not something Zhang herself is concerned with.
“I don’t really care about the record. The only thing I’m concerned with is just impress myself. The only challenge or opponent to me is myself,” Zhang (24-3) told media outlets including Cageside Press following the fight. “What we’re going to do every day is imagine Zhang Weili better than I was yesterday.”
It was basically a five-round beatdown by Zhang on Saturday at the TD Garden, with her wrestling and ground game giving her a dominant advantage over the Brazilian challenger. After that hard fought win, Zhang is now looking to return home to China and spend time with family.
With that in mind, she didn’t have any opponents or date for what she’d like next. “Sean O’Malley. How about this?” joked Zhang. With Tatiana Suarez campaigning for the next title shot, Zhang did admit she’s an option.
“Yeah. She is good, she is undefeated, she is a very good fighter. I think she can be a potential challenger next.” A match-up in China with Yan Xiaonan, however, wasn’t something Zhang was ready to comment on. “It’s not a thing I’m thinking right now. The only thing in my mind right now, just have a break, have some rest. Then let’s see what happens for the next [one].”
Zhang did welcome talk of a possible move to flyweight, however. “So that was what I was thinking about, was move up to flyweight division. But let’s see what happens next in the 125lb division,” she stated. Next up at flyweight, Valentina Shevchenko fights in a rematch with current champ Alexa Grasso.
Whether that move up in weight will come in the near future, or further down the line, Zhang didn’t specify. “Everything is possible,” she stated.
Watch the full UFC 292 post-fight press conference with Zhang Weili above.
