Daniel Cormier Believes Weili vs. Esparza Could Make MMA History

Daniel Cormier thinks a lot of money will be bet on former strawweight champion Zhang Weili against current titleholder Carla Esparza. Weili seems to have earned the next strawweight title shot after a knockout win over Joanna J?drzejczyk at UFC 275. She bounced back following back-to-back losses to Rose Namajunas. The door to a quick…

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Believes Weili vs. Esparza Could Make MMA History at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier thinks a lot of money will be bet on former strawweight champion Zhang Weili against current titleholder Carla Esparza.

Weili seems to have earned the next strawweight title shot after a knockout win over Joanna J?drzejczyk at UFC 275. She bounced back following back-to-back losses to Rose Namajunas.

The door to a quick turnaround towards another title shot opened up for Weili when Namajunas fell to Esparza via a split decision at UFC 274. This prompted UFC President Dana White to proclaim Weili vs. J?drzejczyk as a No. 1 contender fight instead of the surging Marina Rodriguez getting the next shot.

Cormier thinks the odds will be stacked in favor of Weili ahead of their expected title fight, especially after Esparza’s lackluster win over Namajunas versus Weili’s highlight finish.

During a recent episode of his DC&RC show, Cormier claimed that Weili could make history before she squares off with Esparza.

“She may be honestly the biggest challenger in terms of a favorite going into a fight that you’ve ever seen in the UFC,” Cormier said of Weili. “She’s gonna be a massive favorite over Carla Esparza.” (h/t MMA Junkie)

Esparza earned wins over the likes of Yan Xiaonan, Michelle Waterson, and Rodriguez on her way to the title shot against Namajunas. She earned the then-vacant strawweight title over Namajunas on The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale.

Weili called for a fight with Esparza in Abu Dhabi later this year, but Esparza seems non-committal to fulfilling her wish. Esparza got married following her win over Namajunas and it’s unclear when she’ll return for her first title defense as the new champion.

Cormier, as well as many other UFC fans and pundits, feel that Esparza’s second strawweight title reign may be short-lived ahead of her fight against Weili.

Do you give Carla Esparza a chance to defeat Zhang Weili?

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Believes Weili vs. Esparza Could Make MMA History at MMA News.

Carla Esparza On The Title Fight Against Zhang Weili:’I’m The Champion, and I Feel She Needs To Go On My Timeline’

Carla EsparzaUFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza doesn’t feel the need to rush into a title defense against Zhang Weili anytime soon. Weili looks to be the next title challenger in the division, as she is coming off a stunning spinning backfist KO over Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 275. he former champion is looking to reclaim what […]

Carla Esparza

UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza doesn’t feel the need to rush into a title defense against Zhang Weili anytime soon.

Weili looks to be the next title challenger in the division, as she is coming off a stunning spinning backfist KO over Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 275. he former champion is looking to reclaim what she lost to Rose Namjunas back at UFC 261.

Esparza won the title off of Rose Namajunas last month at UFC 274. It may have gone down as one of the most anticlimactic fights in championship history, but Esparza was able to claim victory that night and feels no need to jump into another fight anytime soon.

Carla Esparza feels like she should have that luxury as the champion, and that Weili should be fighting on her timeline, not what is best for Weili.

“I definitely don’t feel like I’m in a position where I should rush just because Weili wants a certain date,” Esparza said. “I’m not trying to go on her timeline. I’m the champion, and I feel she needs to go on my timeline.” (Transcribed by the New York Post)

The first title reign Esparza had, she felt as if she rushed into a few fights too quickly and ultimately led to her losing the belt. This time around, she won’t make the same mistake.

“That was honestly a big regret of mine, letting the pressure push me into jumping back so quickly after having gone through so much fighting [on] ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ ” she said. “That was my fifth fight in eight months. It’s really draining. That was a big regret of mine, not letting myself recover a little bit and jumping straight back into it because feeling pressured and wanting to make the UFC happy. But in the end, if I’m losing my title, then what was it all worth anyway?”

The fight will be made, but there is no timeline set in place just yet.

Carla Esparza Reminds Zhang Weili Who Has All The Leverage

UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza has reminded top contender Zhang Weili who calls the shots in the division. This past weekend, Weili rebounded from back-to-back defeats at the hands of Rose Namajunas in style. In a rematch with Joanna J?drzejczyk at UFC 275, “Magnum” looked back to her best, both on the ground in…

Continue Reading Carla Esparza Reminds Zhang Weili Who Has All The Leverage at MMA News.

UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza has reminded top contender Zhang Weili who calls the shots in the division.

This past weekend, Weili rebounded from back-to-back defeats at the hands of Rose Namajunas in style. In a rematch with Joanna J?drzejczyk at UFC 275, “Magnum” looked back to her best, both on the ground in the first round and with her striking in the second, the frame in which the fight would come to an end.

While the pair’s first clash was memorable for its back-and-forth nature across 25 minutes, their second dance will be remembered for delivering a Knockout of the Year contender courtesy of a spinning back fist from Weili.

With Dana White’s pre-fight comments, both women entered the Singapore-held event known that a win would secure them a shot at gold. And having come out on top, Weili called for her opportunity, and even gave a time and a place.

“So I want to fight with Carla at Abu Dhabi (because) I know there’s a (card there on October 22),” Zhang said during the UFC 275 post-fight press conference via a translator. “I think Carla is a special fighter, too, so I think that’s gonna be a really good fight, for me and for her. Not China, not US, we’re gonna fight at a third country so that it can be fair for both of us.”

The Chinese star has now received a response, but it’s perhaps not one that she’d have hoped for.

Speaking to the New York Post following this past weekend’s blockbuster pay-per-view, Esparza reacted to the emergence of the first challenger to her second reign and Weili’s Abu Dhabi proposal. The strawweight queen made it clear that she won’t be dictated by the #2-ranked contender and her requests.

“I definitely don’t feel like I’m in a position where I should rush just because Weili wants a certain date,” said Esparza. “I’m not trying to go on her timeline. I’m the champion, and I feel she needs to go on my timeline.”

Esparza regained her place on the 115-pound throne, which she first held back in 2014, with a second career victory over Namajunas last month. “Cookie Monster” earned the nod on the scorecards after a lackluster affair that saw both women criticized post-fight.

Having suggested that “Thug Rose” fought with the complete wrong attitude at UFC 274, it stands to reason that Weili won’t let her championship fight with Esparza go in the same direction.

And with Esparza evidently in no rush to defend the belt, “Magnum” will certainly have plenty of time to prepare for her attempt to become the third woman to regain a piece of UFC gold.

Do you think Zhang Weili will dethrone Carla Esparza when they share the Octagon?

Continue Reading Carla Esparza Reminds Zhang Weili Who Has All The Leverage at MMA News.

Kowalkiewicz Pens Touching Message Following J?drzejczyk’s Retirement

UFC strawweight Karolina Kowalkiewicz shared a heartfelt post on social media following Joanna J?drzejczyk’s retirement announcement. Kowalkiewicz and J?drzejczyk were once bitter rivals in the strawweight division as the two Polish combatants squared off for the title at UFC 205. J?drzejczyk successfully defended her belt against Kowalkiewicz via a unanimous decision. While J?drzejczyk and Kowalkiewicz…

Continue Reading Kowalkiewicz Pens Touching Message Following J?drzejczyk’s Retirement at MMA News.

UFC strawweight Karolina Kowalkiewicz shared a heartfelt post on social media following Joanna J?drzejczyk’s retirement announcement.

Kowalkiewicz and J?drzejczyk were once bitter rivals in the strawweight division as the two Polish combatants squared off for the title at UFC 205. J?drzejczyk successfully defended her belt against Kowalkiewicz via a unanimous decision.

While J?drzejczyk and Kowalkiewicz had their fair share of bad blood ahead of their past UFC title fight, they’ve buried the hatchet in recent years. J?drzejczyk also helped train Kowalkiewicz for her last fight down at American Top Team in Florida.

J?drzejczyk’s UFC career came to a close this past weekend following a knockout loss to Zhang Weili at UFC 275. She announced her retirement in her post-fight interview and seems content with moving forward in life away from the Octagon.

In a recent Instagram post, Kowalkiewicz congratulated her fellow countrywoman on her success.

“I was number 2 practically for my entire sports career. It doesn’t bother me, on the contrary, I am proud of it, because you were and for me you will always be number 1,” Kowalkiewicz wrote of her former foe J?drzejczyk. “You are a legend. You wrote a beautiful and inspiring story. You are not only a great athlete who accomplished the impossible, but also a wonderful person. When our relationship was not the best, I needed help … I called you and although you did not have to help me, I could count on you.

“You are great not only in the octagon, but also in life. Now use it to the fullest. I wish you the best with all my heart.”

Despite J?drzejczyk’s fighting tenure concluding, she’s hinted at sticking around the sport for the foreseeable future. Following UFC 275, she hinted at pursuing a career in management and helping fighters move up in the sport’s hierarchy.

As for Kowalkiewicz, she recently snapped a five-fight losing skid with a win over Felice Herrig earlier this month. She’s picked up wins over the likes of Rose Namajunas, Randa Markos, and Jodie Esquibel during her career.

J?drzejczyk leaves the UFC as one of the greatest fighters in the promotion’s history, and at one point was thought of as one of the most dominant forces in the sport.

What are your thoughts on Karolina Kowalkiewicz’s message following Joanna J?drzejczyk’s retirement?

Continue Reading Kowalkiewicz Pens Touching Message Following J?drzejczyk’s Retirement at MMA News.

J?drzejczyk Gives Very Confident Prediction For Esparza Vs. Zhang

Joanna J?drzejczyk has picked Weili Zhang to get it done against Carla Esparza if the duo are to meet in a championship bout. In a rematch of their highly memorable 2020 fight, J?drzejczyk lost to Zhang via KO at UFC 275 last night. The 34-year-old was overmatched by the Chinese fighter from the outset. Zhang…

Continue Reading J?drzejczyk Gives Very Confident Prediction For Esparza Vs. Zhang at MMA News.

Joanna J?drzejczyk has picked Weili Zhang to get it done against Carla Esparza if the duo are to meet in a championship bout.

In a rematch of their highly memorable 2020 fight, J?drzejczyk lost to Zhang via KO at UFC 275 last night. The 34-year-old was overmatched by the Chinese fighter from the outset. Zhang took J?drzejczyk down multiple times in round one, landing a series of brutal elbows from on top. Then in the second round, Zhang unleashed a spinning backfist to knock Joanna out cold.

Having lost five of her last seven fights, J?drzejczyk took off her gloves and announced her retirement from MMA in her post-fight Octagon interview. The Pole ends her UFC run with a 10-5 record, having fought in the promotion since 2014.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk Zhang
PHOTO: GETTY

J?drzejczyk Backs Weili Zhang To Defeat Carla Esparza

Having fought Zhang on two occasions and felt the raw power and athleticism of the 32-year-old, J?drzejczyk knows a thing or two about how good Zhang is.

When asked at the UFC 275 post-fight press conference who would get their hand raised in a potential fight between Zhang and strawweight champ Carla Esparza, Joanna answered without hesitation.

“First round for Weili Zhang,” said J?drzejczyk. “She’s so strong. Yeah, first round.”

Weili Zhang Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Once a rival of Zhang, now seemingly an admirer, J?drzejczyk paid tribute to the Chinese fighter’s power and striking.

“She really surprised me with her strength (on the) ground,” said Joanna. “Because we know she’s a striker, but she was very strong on the ground. Very beautiful work. Very beautiful work.”

J?drzejczyk also has firsthand knowledge of what Esparza brings to the table, having defeated her in 2015 to win the title. That was, however, long before Esparza’s current six-fight win streak. But Joanna still feels Zhang will get it done if the duo are to meet soon.

“So it’s going to be an interesting fight, but I truly believe that Weili’s going to be becoming the champ,” said J?drzejczyk.

Do you think Joanna J?drzejczyk is right to pick Weili Zhang over Carla Esparza?

Continue Reading J?drzejczyk Gives Very Confident Prediction For Esparza Vs. Zhang at MMA News.

J?drzejczyk Gives Very Confident Prediction For Esparza Vs. Zhang

Joanna J?drzejczyk has picked Weili Zhang to get it done against Carla Esparza if the duo are to meet in a championship bout. In a rematch of their highly memorable 2020 fight, J?drzejczyk lost to Zhang via KO at UFC 275 last night. The 34-year-old was overmatched by the Chinese fighter from the outset. Zhang…

Continue Reading J?drzejczyk Gives Very Confident Prediction For Esparza Vs. Zhang at MMA News.

Joanna J?drzejczyk has picked Weili Zhang to get it done against Carla Esparza if the duo are to meet in a championship bout.

In a rematch of their highly memorable 2020 fight, J?drzejczyk lost to Zhang via KO at UFC 275 last night. The 34-year-old was overmatched by the Chinese fighter from the outset. Zhang took J?drzejczyk down multiple times in round one, landing a series of brutal elbows from on top. Then in the second round, Zhang unleashed a spinning backfist to knock Joanna out cold.

Having lost five of her last seven fights, J?drzejczyk took off her gloves and announced her retirement from MMA in her post-fight Octagon interview. The Pole ends her UFC run with a 10-5 record, having fought in the promotion since 2014.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk Zhang
PHOTO: GETTY

J?drzejczyk Backs Weili Zhang To Defeat Carla Esparza

Having fought Zhang on two occasions and felt the raw power and athleticism of the 32-year-old, J?drzejczyk knows a thing or two about how good Zhang is.

When asked at the UFC 275 post-fight press conference who would get their hand raised in a potential fight between Zhang and strawweight champ Carla Esparza, Joanna answered without hesitation.

“First round for Weili Zhang,” said J?drzejczyk. “She’s so strong. Yeah, first round.”

Weili Zhang Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Once a rival of Zhang, now seemingly an admirer, J?drzejczyk paid tribute to the Chinese fighter’s power and striking.

“She really surprised me with her strength (on the) ground,” said Joanna. “Because we know she’s a striker, but she was very strong on the ground. Very beautiful work. Very beautiful work.”

J?drzejczyk also has firsthand knowledge of what Esparza brings to the table, having defeated her in 2015 to win the title. That was, however, long before Esparza’s current six-fight win streak. But Joanna still feels Zhang will get it done if the duo are to meet soon.

“So it’s going to be an interesting fight, but I truly believe that Weili’s going to be becoming the champ,” said J?drzejczyk.

Do you think Joanna J?drzejczyk is right to pick Weili Zhang over Carla Esparza?

Continue Reading J?drzejczyk Gives Very Confident Prediction For Esparza Vs. Zhang at MMA News.