The next level! Hailing from Handan, China, Weili Zhang is constantly pushing the limits for women in mixed martial arts (MMA). Introduced to Shaolin Kung Fu at the age of 6, she developed a fluid approach to fighting inspired by Bruce Lee, incorporating elements from Tai Chi and formal instruction in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In 2012, she was introduced to Chinese MMA pioneer Wu Haotian, who immediately recognized her versatile style and launched her professional MMA career one year later. She proved unstoppable: Zhang reigned supreme as the Women’s Strawweight Champion in the Kunlun Fight (KLF) promotion before proceeding to take over the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 2018. Within one year, her aggressive fighting style earned a shot at the title – and she claimed the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship in 2019, making history as the first Chinese fighter to win a UFC championship. In another historic milestone, Zhang defended the belt in an all-out war at UFC 248 in March 2020 – a fight that earned Fight of the Year honors and is being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing (Class of 2026) as the first women's bout ever to receive this honor. A resilient and unrelenting fighter, Zhang held the title until 2021, suffered back-to-back losses, and came back strong to reclaim the strawweight championship from 2022 to 2025. Now competing at Flyweight, she’s a force to be reckoned with, having earned more than ten first-round finishes as a deadly striker and submission artist. Above all, Zhang stays committed to raising the bar for all women in the sport: “May we never be defined or limited by others. Be brave, be yourself, shine with confidence, and live the life you want!”