Zhang Weili successfully defended her strawweight title against Yan Xiaonan in the co-main event of UFC 300 tonight, but she had to battle through some adversity to get there.
Round One:
The women’s strawweight title co-main event is underway in Las Vegas!
Head kick attempt from Weili misses. Calf kick from Xiaonan. Body kick from Weili but Xiaonan uses that to clinch up against the cage.
Weili able to get away and back to striking range. Low kick for the champ and a punch upstairs too.
Body kick for Weili. Two-piece from the champ and then tries a trip, but its Xiaonan who brings her down instead.
Weili back to the feet quickly though. Hook from Xiaonan puts Weili down for a moment, but she seems ok when she returns to her feet.
Weili almost gets through with a head kick. Body kick and a spinning backfist from Weili.
Short right hand from Weili as she surges forward into the clinch. Good takedown for Weili. She’s working from side control now.
Weili takes Xiaonan’s back and works for the rear-naked choke. It’s in tight but there’s only 10 seconds to go and it looks like she might be able to survive. The round ends and Xiaonan looks out! She zombie’s back to her feet though, but she’s staggering as she does so. We’re headed to round two though!
Round Two:
Weili punches into the clinch and gets the takedown. She’s on Xiaonan’s back again and might be on the verge of choking her out for the second time in the fight!
Xiaonan manages to get to her back. There’s a scramble now, but though Xiaonan tries to get on top she’s unable to. Weili in half-guard and then passes to side control.
Another scramble and Weili maintains top position while dropping a couple of elbows. Weili able to take her back and flatten her out. She starts landing hard punches to the side of the head.
More punches land and Xiaonan is getting a beating here but won’t quit. Weili rolls to her back. Now back on top she sets up an arm-triangle choke. It looks like the fight might be over, but somehow Xiaonan manages to not only escape, but then get on top!
Weili able to get back to her feet quickly. Hard right hand lands for Xiaonan. Leg kick for Weili and Xiaonan is trying to land again as the round ends.
Round Three:
Side kick to the body lands for Xiaonan as her corner had been asking for inbetween rounds and it actually knocks Weili off her feet for a moment.
Back on the feet Xiaonan lands a one-two. Weili goes into the clinch against the cage, but Xiaonan gets away.
Big punch from Xiaonan drops Weili! Weili on her back and Xiaonan stands over her landing kicks to the legs of the champion. Weili trying to land heel strikes in return. Eventually the ref gets Weili to stand back up.
Side kick from Xiaonan. Body kick for Weili and a low kick from Xiaonan. Exchange of hard strikes at the same time and Weili goes for the clinch. However it’s Xiaonan who is able to land a takedown.
Xiaonan on top, but Weili able to kick her off and get back up. Kick from Weili, but Xiaonan grabs the leg and kicks the other leg out to get on top again.
Weili upright again soon after though. Side kick for Xiaonan. leg kick from Weili. Left hand from Weili. Another leg kick from Weili. Weili attempts a takedown, but Xiaonan brushes that aside and reverses her into the Octagon as the round ends.
Round Four:
Leg kick for Weili. One-two lands for Xiaonan. Weili throws hard but missees. Right hand lands for Xiaonan and puts Weili down. She seems ok though and stand back up.
Right hand from Weili into a takedown. Xiaonan tries to stuff it, but Weili does land it. Xiaonan scrambling but Weili keeps her down for now. Xiaonan turtled up parallel to the cage as Weili gets the back with a hook in.
Punches to the head for Weili. Still two minutes to work for her. Xiaonan trying to work her way out of this spot, but unable to do so for now.
More punches land for Weili. She manages to flatten her out and is going for the choke, but Xiaonan fends it off.
Punches and now hammerfists to the head from Weili. She continues to work more punches, not with fight-finishing power, but good work nonetheless as the round draws to a close.
Round Five:
Head kick from Weili seemed to get through, but Xiaonan is ok. Nice takedown from the champ. Xiaonan able to escape and get back to her feet though.
Jab for Weili. Side kick attempt from Xiaonan. Threatening head kick attempt again from Weili. Now she’s in on a takedown and lands it.
Weili takes the back and sinks in her hooks. Xiaonan tries to transition, but Weili quickly adjusts to stay on top.
Weili in half-guard. Punches to the head for the champ. Bit of a scramble and ends up still on top in half-guard.
Punches to the body and head for Weili. Light punches from Xiaonan from her back too as the fight comes to a close.
Decision:
An exciting fight then, and it could well have been over at the end of the first round when Weili came within a few seconds of choking out Xiaonan. However, Xiaonan showed great powers of recovery to survive some tough times in the second round as well, before turning the screw as the champ tired, dropping her several times and even landing a couple of takedowns. Weili eventually got her second wind though and got back in control of the fight to seal a unanimous decision victory (49-45 x3).
