The No. 3 women’s pound-for-pound fighter, Zhang Weili — currently riding a ridiculous 21-fight win streak — looked to take out another high-profile former Strawweight titleholder, Rose Namajunas, at UFC 261 tonight (Sat., April 24, 2021) inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
Namajunas uncharacteristically appeared to take the match up personally, using her life experience as a Lithuanian under Soviet control as motivation for the showdown. She tried to walk back those comments, but nevertheless, she was clearly focused on derailing the Chinese superstar.
And in the end, Namajunas shocked the world, icing Weili with a perfectly-placed high kick to the chin that ended the fight in the first round.
Both fighters traded short shots to get the action started, with Rose bouncing in and out looking for a way in as Weili scores with a stiff jab to keep her at bay. Jab from Rose, countered with a hard inside low kick. Rose continues to circle like crazy, then landed a head kick circling to her left that dropped Weili in her tracks. The champ fell back awkwardly on her leg as Rose stormed in to finish the job. Rose landed about four furious hammerfists as Weili tried to sit up. But she was clearly out. The referee jumped into save her, and in the immediate aftermath, the champ complained that the stoppage was early. It definitely wasn’t — Weili was out. She realized it moments later watching the replay … yes, Rose Namajunas just did what very few thought was possible, becoming the first fighter to defeat Weili in almost eight years to reclaim the 115-pound belt.
YES! What a night … one that brought ringside announcer Joe Rogan to tears during the post-fight interview:
“I did it again!” #UFC261 pic.twitter.com/hSEC0Z9hVJ
— UFC (@ufc) April 25, 2021
Unreal. Weili will be back with a vengeance no doubt, but tonight belonged to Rose Namajunas.
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