Amid rumors of an expected return to China for the Octagon before the close of the year, the promotion have been backed to bring with it it’s two most standout talents in the form of two-time and current strawweight champion, Zhang Weili, as well as surging contender, Yan Xiaonan for a potential December 9. showcase.
Yet to return to ‘The Land of the Dragon’ since August 2019, on that occasion, then-championship challenger, Zhang Weili managed to turn in a stunning first round win over defending strawweight queen, Jessica Andrade – stopping the Brazilian with a blistering first round TKO, to become the first Chinese-born fighter in Octagon history to strike gold.
And according to reports over the course of the weekend, the Octagon is expected to land in China for the first time since that 2019 event later this year, for a blockbuster event on December 9.
Yan Xiaonan betting favorite to face Zhang Weili on potential December card in China
A host of bookies and markets, including new online betting sites are already offering odds on Weili’s next title challenger, with the likes of the aforenoted, Xiaonan, and surging grappling talent, Tatiana Suarez initially expected to emerge as likely candidates to face the dominant Hebei gold holder.
Naturally, Weili, who is fresh from a unanimous decision win over title challenger, Amanda Lemos earlier this summer, has been pegged to headline the homecoming card.
And given the above-mentioned, Xiaonan’s recent string of victories over both Mackenzie Dern and common-foe, former champion, Andrade, the Liaoning native is currently available as short as even money to stand opposite Weili for the strawweight crown if the Octagon returns to their native China before the close of the year.
And despite losing her first strawweight championship either side of fights with Rose Namajunas, Weili cemented her Octagon legacy with a pair of memorable fights with former champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk – turning in a first Fight of the Year, before stopping the Pole with a thunderous spinning back-fist KO in a SIngapore rematch last year.
Scaling the throne once more with a stunningly-dominant submission win over inaugural champion, Carla Esparza last November, Weili kicked off her second title reign back in August in the co-main event of UFC 292 in Boston with a decision shutout win over Brazilian phenom, Lemos.
Avoiding a continued losing skid after back-to-back losses against Esparza and Brazilian striker, Marina Rodriguez, Xiaonan, the current number two ranked contender had racked up wins over both Dern, and the above-mentioned Andrade to likely earn her first title siege since beginning her Octagon stint back in November 2017.
With five fights remaining on her newly-inked UFC contract, Xiaonan, as mentioned earlier, is available as short as even money to draw Weili in a title affair in the pair’s native China on December 9. – with the Octagon gearing up for a return to Asia.
17-3 as a professional, technical striker, Xiaonan, who has racked up eight career knockout wins in the process, took home notable victories over the likes of Kailin Curran, Viviane Pereira, Angela Hill, as well as former title challenges, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, and Claudia Gadelha before faltering for the first time in the Octagon.
Three men learned the hard way that you don’t mess with Jorge Masvidal or his ornamentation. The recently retired two-time welterweight title challenger revealed that he was involved in a bathroom brawl while in China for a UFC event held inside the Shenzhen Universade Sports Centre Arena in 2019. Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The […]
