November 13, 2022 12: 20 am ET
NEW YORK – Zhang Weili is champ when onceagain and she made the title back in uncommon style Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
With a customized arm-trapping rear-naked choke, Weili (23-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) locked in a rear-naked choke and tapped Carla Esparza (19-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC) at 1: 05 of Round 2.
The ladies’s strawweight title bout was the UFC 281 co-main occasion at Madison Square Garden in New York.
In reverse-homer style, the crowd at Madison Square Garden loved themself to Weili and booed Esparza, who maybe antagonistically selected “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” as her walkout tune.
The veryfirst round was carefully objectedto with back-and-forth scrambles. Esparza had her minutes, however Weili appeared to land the more substantial strikes.
In Round 2, Esparza shot for a takedown. She got it – sort of. Weili landed on the bottom, however ultimately took Esparza’s back in a scramble. Weili caught Esparza’s left arm with both of her legs. There was quick hand-fighting priorto Weili ultimately locked in the choke.
GIVE HER THE BELT BACK 🏆@MMAWeili regains gold at #UFC281!! pic.twitter.com/su4ioC7DIP
— UFC (@ufc) November 13, 2022
A dream come real for @MMAWeili to regain her strawweight crown 👑 #UFC281 pic.twitter.com/uuLbDF4OeQ
— UFC (@ufc) November 13, 2022
Weili endsupbeing UFC ladies’s strawweight champ for the 2nd time and extends her winning streak to 2, likewise consistingof a knockout of Joanna Jedrzejczyk in June. She moves to 2-1 in UFC title difficulties and is the just Chinese champ in promo history. Her just UFC losses have come versus Rose Namajunas.
Esparza has her six-fight winning streak snapped. Over 2 champion rules, Esparza has yet to notch a title defense. At UFC 274 in May, Esparza won the strawweight title versus Namajunas in a uninspired and rather questionable split choice.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 281 results consistof:
- Zhang Weili def. Carla Esparza bymeansof submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1