Aug 31, 2019

  • Marc RaimondiESPN Staff Author

History was made at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Shenzhen, China. Zhang Weili finished Jessica Andrade by TKO in but 42 seconds to win the strawweight championship, making her the UFC's commencement Chinese titleholder.

Having a champion from China is a massive boon for the UFC, which has been trying to make inroads in the country for years. There was plenty of celebrating in Shenzhen otherwise, too, with the UFC'southward winningest Chinese fighter, Li Jingliang, getting a cease in front of his countrymen and countrywomen.

Plus, other fighters excited the fans, including Kai Kara-France, who put on a overnice performance with his striking.

What's side by side for Zhang, Andrade and the other major players from UFC Shenzhen? Hither's ESPN's take.

Zhang Weili, strawweight champion

Result: Defeated Jessica Andrade via first-round TKO

Next: Tatiana Suarez

This one is very much upwards for argue. Suarez has been deserving of a championship shot. She'south undefeated and ranked No. 4 among strawweights in ESPN'southward divisional rankings. Up until a close unanimous determination win over Nina Ansaroff in June, Suarez had basically run through her start four UFC fights. The former standout wrestler reinjured her neck in that fight against Ansaroff, only if she's ready to return, she should be the next contender.

If she's non (and some would argue even if she is), there are other compelling possibilities for Zhang's first championship defense. Former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk faces Michelle Waterson in the primary event of UFC Tampa on October. 12. The winner could brand a very good case for a title shot. Jedrzejczyk is ranked No. 3 past ESPN and Waterson is No. 5. Then at that place's Rose Namajunas, who lost the title to Andrade at UFC 237 in April in a bout she was winning until she was knocked out by a vicious slam. Namajunas is ranked No. 2 in the segmentation past ESPN, and there'south certainly a schoolhouse of idea that would have her beingness next in line.

It'll exist interesting to see which direction the UFC chooses to become in, given Zhang'southward huge marketability as its first Chinese champion.

Jessica Andrade, strawweight

Result: Lost to Zhang Weili via first-circular TKO

Next: Nina Ansaroff

Andrade might have gotten stopped by Zhang in only 42 seconds, but she has beaten some of the all-time strawweights in the world, including Namajunas. At 27 she is not going anywhere and will likely challenge for the UFC championship again someday. It would be inappropriate to put her right into a championship eliminator spot, though, especially given the long queue waiting now. Ansaroff would make sense, in that case.

Ansaroff is coming off a loss to Suarez in which her stock remained high fifty-fifty in defeat. She was the toughest test to date for Suarez, one of the division's best up-and-coming talents. Prior to that defeat, Ansaroff had won four straight and was endmost in on a top contender fight herself. The winner betwixt Andrade and Ansaroff in this prospective fight would put herself in extremely skilful position for a future title opportunity.

Li Jingliang, welterweight

Issue: Defeated Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via third-circular TKO

Adjacent: Jordan Mein

Quietly, Li has put together 1 of the most consistent runs in the very tough welterweight sectionalization. Along with being the winningest Chinese fighter in UFC history with nine victories, Li has won iii in a row and seven of his last eight. At that place was cypher quiet nigh the way he stopped Zaleski dos Santos. It was emphatic, with an uppercut and follow-upwardly shots. Coming in, Zaleski dos Santos was on a seven-fight winning streak.

Information technology might exist premature to give Li a meridian-ten opponent at this bespeak, though he is close. Mein is on a two-fight winning streak himself and is etching out a spot in the welterweight sectionalization again subsequently a near 2-year breather. Plus, Mein has a propensity for fun fights and Li does as well, when he can be roped into i. Zaleski dos Santos was able to get the best out of Li, and it'south probable then volition Mein. That would exist a fun one.

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, welterweight

Effect: Lost to Li Jingliang via third-circular TKO

Adjacent: Mike Perry

Zaleski dos Santos didn't look quite like his aggressive cocky against Li. Credit must get to Li'due south defence force, particularly him circumvoluted away from Zaleski dos Santos' power hand. Just there seemed to exist some lightheaded-upwardly missing from the Brazilian's game Saturday. Who's the best person to get that back out of him? Why, Perry, of course.

Perry is coming off a loss to Vicente Luque, so why not throw him back in (after he recovers from a cleaved nose) against another free-swinging Brazilian? We know what kind of fireworks a fight like this could produce. If the timing lines up when Perry returns, this sounds similar a befouled burner.

Kai Kara-French republic, flyweight

Outcome: Defeated Mark De La Rosa via unanimous decision

Side by side: Matt Schnell

Kara-France really looked terrific Saturday in beating De La Rosa. Most impressively, he was able to stuff all of De La Rosa's takedown attempts and actually find his own law-breaking out of them. Kara-France's striking is electric, so if he's able to stay off the argue and the footing with regularity, he'll exist a huge problem in the UFC'southward flyweight sectionalisation. Schnell is on a nice little run, with two directly wins. He's coming off a submission win over Hashemite kingdom of jordan Espinosa at UFC Newark, which earned him a $fifty,000 Performance of the Night bonus. Like De La Rosa, Schnell is known for his ground game. Would Kara-France exist able to quell that similar he did De La Rosa's at UFC Shenzhen? Information technology sure would be interesting to find out. Schnell is No. ix in ESPN's flyweight division rankings, and so the winner of a fight between him and Kara-France would put himself near title contention.