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Zhang Weili thinks Valentina Shevchenko ‘definitely feels I pose a threat’
UFC strawweight champion Zhang ‘Magnum” Weili has revealed a lingering desire for a super fight with flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko, even as she prepares for a title defence against top-ranked American Rose Namajunas on April 24.
“After I won my championship [in 2019], initially I quite wanted to fight with ‘Bullet’ [Shevchenko],” explained Zhang. “I told Dana [White] but he said it’s not the time yet. That’s why, since he said this, I haven’t talked about ‘I want to fight with her’ any more.”
Up until now.
Zhang (21-1) revealed she had long pondered the possibilities of matching her skills against a fighter in Shevchenko (20-3) who also cut her teeth on the rough and tumble world of the domestic Chinese kick-boxing circuit before a successful transition to mixed martial arts.
Speaking on a conference call with Chinese media, including SCMP MMA, Zhang said she had also been alerted to comments made by Shevchenko that have followed the Chinese fighter’s rise to the strawweight title, and beyond.
“She might feel that I am a threat to her,” is how Zhang described the situation.
“After I fought with Joanna, she didn’t think highly of me,” said Zhang. “When I fought with Andrade, she also didn’t think highly of me. When I fought with Joanna, she said I couldn’t fight well. After I won, she said I hadn’t won.
“When the fight between Rose and me was announced, she said Rose could defeat me. She didn’t support me all the time [but] it doesn’t really matter. She definitely feels I can pose a threat to her.”
Shevchenko has already weighed in with a prediction that Namajunas will win on April 24,
as has former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, but Zhang was quick to brush them both aside.
“I noticed this because many people on [social media] platforms told me both Tyson and Valentina said I wouldn’t be able to beat Rose, or even said she would destroy me,” said Zhang.
“I feel that they don’t understand me. I don’t really mind. When they don’t understand me, it doesn’t really matter. I just want to prove it my ability during the fight and with the result.”
https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-.../3129086/ufc-261-zhang-weili-thinks-valentina
UFC strawweight champion Zhang ‘Magnum” Weili has revealed a lingering desire for a super fight with flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko, even as she prepares for a title defence against top-ranked American Rose Namajunas on April 24.
“After I won my championship [in 2019], initially I quite wanted to fight with ‘Bullet’ [Shevchenko],” explained Zhang. “I told Dana [White] but he said it’s not the time yet. That’s why, since he said this, I haven’t talked about ‘I want to fight with her’ any more.”
Up until now.
Zhang (21-1) revealed she had long pondered the possibilities of matching her skills against a fighter in Shevchenko (20-3) who also cut her teeth on the rough and tumble world of the domestic Chinese kick-boxing circuit before a successful transition to mixed martial arts.
Speaking on a conference call with Chinese media, including SCMP MMA, Zhang said she had also been alerted to comments made by Shevchenko that have followed the Chinese fighter’s rise to the strawweight title, and beyond.
“She might feel that I am a threat to her,” is how Zhang described the situation.
“After I fought with Joanna, she didn’t think highly of me,” said Zhang. “When I fought with Andrade, she also didn’t think highly of me. When I fought with Joanna, she said I couldn’t fight well. After I won, she said I hadn’t won.
“When the fight between Rose and me was announced, she said Rose could defeat me. She didn’t support me all the time [but] it doesn’t really matter. She definitely feels I can pose a threat to her.”
Shevchenko has already weighed in with a prediction that Namajunas will win on April 24,
as has former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, but Zhang was quick to brush them both aside.
“I noticed this because many people on [social media] platforms told me both Tyson and Valentina said I wouldn’t be able to beat Rose, or even said she would destroy me,” said Zhang.
“I feel that they don’t understand me. I don’t really mind. When they don’t understand me, it doesn’t really matter. I just want to prove it my ability during the fight and with the result.”
https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-.../3129086/ufc-261-zhang-weili-thinks-valentina
