Celebration

Zhang Weili rejuvenated her career in New York as she reclaimed the Ultimate Fighting Championship's strawweight title by dethroning wrestling specialist Carla Esparza via a second-round submission to announce her return to supremacy in the division.

Zhang first won the strawweight belt in August 2019 in China before losing it to Rose Namajunas in her second defense in April 2021.

"Every day I dreamed of this, my belt coming back. Now I feel like my dream (has come true)," Zhang said emotionally in English in the post-fight interview.

Zhang became the first Chinese and only the third woman in the world to hold the strawweight belt multiple times, joining Esparza and Namajunas who have both won it twice.