At UFC 300, Zhang Weili put on a vintage performance, showcasing her impressive skills in a hard-fought battle against Yan Xiaonan. Despite some close calls, Zhang emerged victorious with a unanimous decision win. This successful title defense marked the second time Zhang has defended her belt during her second reign as UFC flyweight champion.
The fight was intense from the start, with both fighters giving it their all. In the first round, Zhang locked in a chokehold on Yan, almost putting her opponent to sleep. However, Yan managed to survive until the bell rang and get back up, albeit looking disoriented and woozy. Despite this scare, Yan continued to fight on with great determination.
There was controversy surrounding a moment in the first round where Yan’s cornerman was seen putting his finger in her nose, sparking speculation that smelling salts were used to revive her, an illegal move. Commentators quickly criticized the potential violation, but it was later clarified that no smelling salts were used. Despite this distraction, Zhang continued to dominate in the second round with significant strikes and takedowns while Yan mainly focused on defending herself. Although Zhang lost some steam as the fight progressed and Yan attempted to secure a finish to claim victory, she was unable to do so and ultimately lost control of the fight leading to Zhang retaining her championship title at UFC 300.
