Yan Xiaonan’s Close Call Against Zhang Weili at UFC 300
Kosport Magazine – 02/12/2024
In a highly anticipated co-main event at UFC 300, Yan Xiaonan challenged strawweight champion Zhang Weili for her title. Despite losing a unanimous decision, Yan’s performance was nothing short of impressive.
In an interview with Kosport Magazine, Yan admitted that Zhang had her in a rear-naked choke attempt at the end of the first round that nearly put her to sleep. She described the moment as “almost like somebody almost knocked me out.” However, Yan showed her resilience and managed to survive the round.
Yan also revealed that she had injured her thumb prior to the fight, which made it easier for Zhang to secure the choke. But even with the injury, Yan still admits that she was moments away from disaster at the end of the round.
“If you give Weili 10 more seconds, I am definitely completely out,” Yan said. “But this is just like any game. In a basketball game, if you shoot the ball after the last second and you make the shot, it doesn’t count.”
Despite the close call, Yan was able to get to her feet after the round ended and make her way back to her corner. There was some confusion by the commentary team, who initially thought the cutman used smelling salts to revive Yan. However, Yan clarified that it was just water and ice that helped her regain her clarity.
Moving on to the second round, Yan was back to her normal self and put up a good fight against Zhang. However, Zhang’s takedowns and ground and pound were enough to earn her a 10-8 round on all scorecards.
But Yan didn’t let that discourage her. She rallied in the third round and gave Zhang a run for her money, ultimately losing the decision but earning the respect of UFC CEO Dana White and a new fan base.
“I can definitely feel the love from many people,” Yan said. “Right after the fight, Dana came to the cage and checked the tattoo behind my ear, ‘Born To Fight.’ He said, ‘Let me see your tattoo.’ I think he recognized my performance and thought I was born to fight.”
Despite the loss, Yan’s performance was praised by her coaches and teammates at the gym. She remains determined to improve and learn from this experience.
“This is just a lesson,” Yan said. “I will keep working on my way to improve myself.”
Summary:
Yan Xiaonan’s performance against Zhang Weili at UFC 300 was nothing short of impressive. Despite being seconds away from being submitted, Yan showed her resilience and managed to survive the round. She also revealed that she had injured her thumb prior to the fight, making it easier for Zhang to secure the choke. Despite losing the decision, Yan earned the respect of UFC CEO Dana White and a new fan base. She remains determined to improve and learn from this experience.
