Circle April 13th on your calendar because Zhang Weili, the UFC Strawweight Champion, is stepping into the ring for her next title defense at UFC 300. Dana White just dropped the bomb on Instagram, announcing Weili’s face-off against Yan Xiaonan.
At 34, Zhang recently clinched her second title defense against Amanda Lemos at UFC 292 in August 2023, sealing the win with a unanimous decision. With three consecutive victories since her 2021 rivalry with Rose Namajunas, Zhang is on a strong streak.
Yan, too, faced challenges in 2021, suffering her first Octagon defeat to Carla Esparza with a second-round technical knockout. Despite a split decision loss to Marina Rodriguez, Yan bounced back with remarkable wins over Mackenzie Dern and Jessica Andrade. Her outstanding first-round knockout of former titleholder Andrade at UFC 288 in May 2023 earned her a Performance of the Night bonus.
Dana White Confirms Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan for UFC 300
At UFC 300, Zhang Weili, the first-ever Chinese UFC champion, will face Yan Xiaonan, eyeing her own place in history. Weili’s historic journey began with a triumph over Jéssica Andrade in August 2019, followed by a spectacular title defense against Joanna Jędrzejczyk.
Yan Xiaonan is on a mission, securing victories over Andrade and Mackenzie Dern after setbacks against Esparza and Marina Rodriguez. Their clash at UFC 300 promises to be a historic showdown between two formidable Chinese fighters.
While Weili had hinted at a move to challenge UFC Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso, the announcement of the Xiaonan fight puts those plans on hold.
As of now, the UFC is yet to unveil the main event for UFC 300. However, the card will feature a thrilling lightweight matchup between Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan.
Check out the current lineup for UFC 300 below.
- (C) Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan – 115lbs
- Charles Oliveira vs. Arman Tsarukyan – 155lbs
- Jiří Procházka vs. Aleksandar Rakić – 205lbs
- Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling – 145lbs
- Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage – 185lbs
