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Zhang Weili will return to action at UFC 268 when she takes on Rose Namajunas for the UFC women’s strawweight title.

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Weili last entered the octagon in April 2021 at UFC 261. She fought Namajunas back then as well and entered the fight as the defending champion. ‘Magnum‘ lost that fight with a first-round knockout because of a head kick.

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In preparation for the rematch, Weili shifted her camp to the United States and is currently training with former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo.

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In a recent interview, she was asked about her experience of working with Cejudo. Weili said, “Yes, I’ve been wanting to train with him for a while but the pandemic delayed our plans, so I wasn’t able to train with him until now.”

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“I feel amazing training with him,” Weili added. “He’s extremely knowledgeable about everything in MMA and fitness! I’m learning so many techniques and different details from him. It’s been unbelievable. He has exceeded beyond my expectations. I’ve learned a lot of new things, more than I can express.”

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Zhang Weili has been training with ‘Triple C’ for more than a month now. She would definitely look to use all the knowledge gained from him in her fight against Namajunas.

Zhang Weili – Loss and the comeback

In her last fight against ‘Thug Rose’, Weili was at the receiving end of one a brutal head kick, which resulted in a knockout. She ended up losing her title that night. It was Weili’s first loss in almost eight years, her last one coming at her pro-MMA debut back in 2013. She won 21 consecutive fights after her first loss and had a record of 21-1 entering the fight against Namajunas.

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She believes the comments made by the now champion got to her and turned the crowd against her. But she believes it was her own fault that she let it get to her. According to her, she should’ve focused on the fight and not the audience.

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Namajunas, before the fight, said that she saw her contest against Weili as a fight between freedom and communism. She related it to her family’s history under USSR in Lithuania, but she clarified that her comments weren’t directed towards her opponent.

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Zhang Weili, under the guidance of Henry Cejudo, looks ready for battle and would look to get her title back at UFC 268.

How do you think the rematch will go? Would Henry Cejudo’s knowledge help Weili? Let us know your thoughts!

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Arunaditya Aima

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Arunaditya Aima is an editor at EssentiallySports, where he works to bring clarity and depth to sports storytelling through the pieces he edits. With a Master’s degree in Sports Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in the field, he combines newsroom discipline with a deep-rooted passion for sports. During his time at EssentiallySports, Arunaditya has taken on multiple roles across the editorial pipeline. He began as a writer covering Ultimate Fighting Championship before transitioning into editorial responsibilities, including serving as the primary editor for National Basketball Association coverage. His experience across writing and editing allows him to approach stories from both a narrative and structural perspective. Before his editorial work in digital sports media, Arunaditya worked as a producer at Firstpost under the Network18 Group umbrella, gaining experience in newsroom production and broadcast-oriented storytelling. Across roles, he focuses on refining sports coverage through strong editorial judgment, attention to detail, and a commitment to presenting the game in ways that resonate with readers.

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