BOSTON – [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] is chasing a flawless performance in Saturday’s UFC 292 title defense against Amanda Lemos.
After regaining the strawweight belt with a submission of Carla Esparza at UFC 281 in November, Weili (23-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will look for a positive start to her second title reign when she meets Brazilian contender Lemos (13-2-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the pay-per-view co-headliner at TD Garden. Prelims air on ESPN and stream on ESPN+.
Weili knows she has a difficult task at hand against a dangerous challenger, but she is setting the bar high for herself when she steps in the octagon.
“Lemos is good – I admit she’s a very good fighter,” Weili told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC 292 media day. “She’s aggressive, and her fighting style, she possess the knockout power. So do I. And what I want to showcase more in this fight is to fight like water. I can fight very flowing, smooth and seamless. I can be water. Just wrap her up. And if she makes any tiny mistake, I can catch it and finish her.”
With Weili having already faced many of the marquee names at 115 pounds, Lemos is a lesser-known opponent compared to her recent bouts. The matchup is also somewhat overshadowed by a highly anticipated UFC 292 main event between Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley, meaning Weili and Lemos have flown under the radar.
That hasn’t been so much the case in Weili’s world, though, she said. Her title fight is a big deal in her native China, and despite receiving less attention than the main event, she doesn’t feel slighted.
“I don’t feel that way,” Weili said. “What I feel is actually a lot of people focused and concerned on my fight, especially in China. A lot of people follow this fight and want to watch this. Maybe in the U.S., maybe more people are more concerned about O’Malley and Sterling’s fight, but I do feel there’s a lot of people that will watch our fight.”
Lemos has talked a confident game going into fight night. She claimed at UFC 292 media day that she’s superior to the champion in all areas, and will prove it in the cage. Weili isn’t looking to get into a war of words, but she made it clear she’s quite confident, too.
“Let’s see Saturday in the octagon,” Weili said. “Then we will will have the answer.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.