UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili will return to action on April 13. She will defend her title for the third time against fellow Chinese fighter, Yan Xiaonan, at UFC 300. But before we get to the historic UFC pay-per-view, we will take a closer look at the strawweight star’s camp.

Zhang Weili worked various odd jobs before getting into the world of mixed martial arts. Nevertheless, she has been training in martial arts since the age of six and has since become one of the top fighters hailing from China. But where does she train and with whom? Let’s take a look at that front.

Zhang Weili: gym, coach and teammates

‘Magnum’ used to work as a fitness instructor when she started taking jiu-jitsu lessons after being inspired by watching others grapple in the gym she worked at. She got acquainted with the fighters who trained there and one of them was Wu Haotian, a pioneer of Chinese MMA, who was also Zhang Weili’s idol. Haotian introduced her to the Black Tiger Fight Club, where the reigning UFC champion started her first MMA training.

It was during her time training at the Black Tiger Fight Club when Xuejun Cai, who later became her agent, became her head coach. Furthermore, Zhang Weili also has a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach named Pedro Jordao. Weili also trained at Bangtao Muay Thai and MMA occasionally. Additionally, ‘Magnum’ has also trained under John Wood of Syndicate MMA.

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When it comes to Zhang Weili’s teammates, most of them are from China, which includes her idol Wu Haotian, Shaoxiang Wang, and Shuai Zhang, just to name a few. Although not a teammate, ‘Magnum’ also trained with former double champion Henry Cejudo for her UFC 268 fight. “I learned a lot of wrestling techniques with my good friend Henry Cejudo, as well as distance control, mind game, and something about mental toughness. I think it all makes me stronger,” the 34-year-old told UFC.com ahead of the event.

Meanwhile, despite being one of the top female MMA fighters in the world, Weili’s coach believes that the Chinese star hasn’t yet unlocked her full potential.

Weili’s coach showcases utmost trust in the UFC champ

In an episode of the ‘UFC 292 Embedded: Vlog Series‘, coach John Wood claimed that the reason behind Zhang Weili’s success was that she has yet to unlock her full capabilities inside the Octagon. He believes she has the potential to do more. Wood said, “She’s built to be a champion. And I think we’re still just even scratching the surface. I’d say she’s at 60, 70 percent of her potential right now.”

John Wood claimed that the sky was the limit for Zhang Weili, as he believed that she would only get better as she gained more experience fighting. This, according to Syndicate MMA’s coach, could spell trouble for ‘Magnum’s opponents and her division. “She’s going to keep getting better, and that’s a scary thing for anybody else out there,” said Weili’s coach.

Zhang Weili is currently on a 3-fight winning streak as she heads to UFC 300. two of her last three wins have come by finishes and Yan Xiaonan may have a tough task ahead of her opportunity to win the strawweight champion. Who will emerge victorious? Let us know your predictions in the comments section.

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