UFC 322: Meeting Weili Zhang

Sitting in that Korean BBQ restaurant in New York, watching Weili Zhang just a few steps away as she ate and debriefed the fight with her team, I felt surreal—it all seemed too real to be real. Just hours ago, I was cheering for her at Madison Square Garden; and now, I was this close to this legendary warrior.

An Unexpected Encounter

I’m so grateful to my incredibly resourceful friends who somehow got me into Weili’s dinner—I got to meet my idol! 😭😭

When we approached Weili to say hello, she was incredibly sincere. She thanked us for coming all this way to watch her fight (there were even fans who flew from China to NYC just to see her).

Then she said something that nearly brought us to tears.

“Don’t be sad about the result.” Her tone was calm, almost as if she wanted to comfort us.

We told her we felt heartbroken for her, but she smiled and said, “I don’t hurt at all.”

“You win some, you lose some. You can’t always get the results you want in anything you do—everyone fights for victory, but the outcome is beyond our control. I gave it my all. I have no regrets.”

She told us that she used to be upset for a long time after losing fights, but not anymore. She can now face results and her own shortcomings with equanimity, continuing to improve herself with a positive attitude.

At that moment, I realized Weili had reached a level of enlightenment that martial artists aspire to. She had figured out so many things, and this open-mindedness is more precious than any championship belt.

We got hugs, autographs, and photos with Weili. Because she was injured that day, we didn’t dare hug her too tightly, but Weili said they were just minor injuries 😭😭 When taking the photo, she put her arm around me, and my left hand didn’t know what to do—I wanted to hug her back but was afraid of touching her injured areas!

Weili is so small (I’m even taller than her 🥹), yet has such tremendous strength and such powerful charisma! A legendary figure who once seemed so distant became so much more real and three-dimensional up close. And Weili was truly warm and approachable—she even asked if my friend and I were still in school haha, I guess we look young 😂

She also said she could go back and reclaim the strawweight championship anytime (after all, she’s the strawweight GOAT!!). I believe she will definitely win new flyweight championship belts in the future, and this process is her journey of continuously defeating herself.

When Weili heard we had to catch a 6 AM flight back, she was concerned like a big sister, saying it wasn’t easy for us either. As we parted, Weili was wearing a hoodie with the hood up, waving goodbye to us and reminding us to stay safe 🥹

Split Decision

Rewinding to a few hours earlier, Weili was composed. She congratulated Shevchenko, thanked her team, the fans who came to watch, her parents, and apologized to her supporters.

The host kept pressing Weili about whether she would stay in the flyweight division. Weili said: “I want to thank one last person, and that’s Zhang Weili herself, because I think Weili is someone who can get back up after falling down. Weili is someone who never gives up. I’m very grateful to myself, for my own efforts.”

At that moment, the entire arena was screaming for this strawweight GOAT, this woman who gave up her championship belt to challenge the flyweight division! Being a champion is about constantly challenging yourself! Weili’s popularity is truly incredible—everyone around us was supporting Weili!

During the Fight

I clasped my hands in prayer, thankfully Shevchenko’s high kick didn’t connect. Because Weili went from strawweight → flyweight, while Shevchenko went from bantamweight → flyweight, even though they weighed the same after cutting weight, after rehydrating overnight, Weili was at least 5kg lighter than Shevchenko. So there was quite a strength difference, and Weili’s signature ground game couldn’t be fully deployed. But I have to admit, Shevchenko’s distance management and precision striking were incredibly impressive.

Before the Fight

Before the main event, all three preliminary fights ended in KOs. By the third main card fight, I was too nervous to watch. A guy next to me asked if I was nervous. I think I was more nervous than Weili herself!

Weili walked out to “A Laugh from the Sea” (沧海一声笑), and the whole arena erupted!!

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As I write these words, I can still feel that overwhelming emotion.

Madison Square Garden is Weili’s blessed ground (Rose rematch, Carla, Shevchenko)—each fight brings an evolved version of Weili. And today, I saw a more complete Weili—not just a champion, but a true sage who understands victory, defeat, and the deeper meaning of life.

A true champion is not defined by the belt around their waist, but by the unwavering spirit in their heart and the grace with which they face everything life throws at them.

I am so, so incredibly fortunate!! so proud of Weili!!

Weili is someone who gives 100% to everything she does. Such a person will succeed at anything.

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Read the Chinese version: 中文版本 📄