Photo by Zhe Ji/Getty Images
The MMA world saw Jessica Andrade lose her UFC women’s strawweight title in just 42 seconds earlier today (Sat., Aug. 31, 2019) at UFC on ESPN+ 15 live on ESPN+ from inside Universiade Sports Centre in Shenzhen, China, when surging contender Weili Zhang scored a first-round TKO stoppage for the ages.
Zhang, who was the betting underdog entering her main event bid on home soil, willingly exchanged with her powerful Brazilian counterpart from the opening bell. Her strikes were simply better timed and better placed than Andrade’s and that allowed Zhang to hurt the champion with a counter right hand, batter her with knees inside, and eventually force the referee’s hand.
It was quite the performance for Zhang as she becomes the UFC’s first Chinese champion. Her knockout over Andrade also helped push her current MMA win streak to 20 dating back to just her second professional bout.
As you may have imagined, the MMA community was up early to witness Zhang’s destruction of Andrade. Check out below to see what all the fighters were saying about the new champion’s performance:
Holy shit.. That was amazing!!! #AndNew
— PEARL GONZALEZ (@PearlGonzalez) August 31, 2019
Fuck what a destruction #UFCShenzhen
— Neil 2 Tap Seery (@NeilSeeryMMA) August 31, 2019
Do you believe it?!?! Zhang Weili breaks through and wins the UFC strawweight title, knocking out Jessica Andrade in under a minute! First Chinese @ufc champion! #UFC
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) August 31, 2019
Holy. Shit!!
Just an incredible performance from Weili Zhang. What an amazing moment in history #UFCShenzhen https://t.co/haOl9JTujS
— Megan Anderson (@MeganA_mma) August 31, 2019
Wow very impressive performance by Zhang https://t.co/QKbswLgAhj
— Sodiq Yusuff (@Super_Sodiq) August 31, 2019
— Stephen Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) August 31, 2019
Zhang Weili mf-ers. That girl is the truth ! #UFCShenzhen
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) August 31, 2019
I watched this girl live and immediately knew she would be champion , she got it all and more !! Congrats to all of China on their new Champion … incredible
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) August 31, 2019
Is mma the only sport where the Champion does not get homefeild advantage ? You are the Champ flying to the contenders home country 2 defend . His time zone , his crowd , his show .This is where the mental part of fighting becomes so key , seems backwards . Think about it
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) August 31, 2019
For complete UFC Shenzhen results and coverage click here.