China’s Zhang Weili (red) and Yan Xiaonan (white) during their 2024 UFC 300 women’s strawweight title fight in Las Vegas on Saturday. Photo: VCG

Yan attempts to block a kick to the face by Zhang. After five rounds of fighting, Zhang was victorious, successfully defending her strawweight belt. Photo: VCG

The octagon where the first “China Derby” UFC title fight took place. Photo: VCG

Yan has her wounds checked in between rounds. Photo: VCG

Zhang succeeds in defending her belt, which she first won in 2019. Photo: VCG

On Aug. 7, 2019, Zhang trains in Beijing for her fight against then-strawweight champion Jessica Andrade. Zhang is also trained in kung fu. Photo: VCG

On Aug. 31, 2019, in Shenzhen, Zhang defeated Andrade in 42 seconds, becoming the first UFC world champion from Asia. Photo: VCG

Zhang defends her title against Polish challenger Joanna Jedrzejczyk 2-1 at UFC 248 in Las Vegas on March 8, 2020. Photo: IC Photo

On April 24, 2021, in Florida, U.S. fighter Rose Namajunas knocked Zhang to the ground in 1 minute and 18 seconds, ending her 21-match winning streak and taking the strawweight title. Photo: Alex Menendez/Visual China

Zhang challenged Namajunas to win back the title on Nov. 7, 2021, in New York, but lost again. Photo: Mike Stobe/Visual China

On June 8, 2022, in Singapore, Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk smile at each other during the weigh-in ceremony. In the following fight, Zhang knocked her opponent out with a whip punch in the second round. Photo: Yong Teck Lim/ Visual China

On Nov. 12, 2022, in New York, Zhang fights then-strawweight champion Carla Esparza. She defeated the American fighter in the second round to reclaim the title 567 days after losing it. Photo: Jamie Squire/Visual China

Zhang successfully defends her title against Brazil’s Amanda Lemos on Aug. 19, 2023, in Boston. Photo: VCG