In her final bout, in March 2020, she efficiently defended her title in a brutal five-round battle in opposition to Jedrzejczyk that was broadly seen by U.F.C. followers because the battle of the 12 months. After that victory, Zhang, 30, the daughter of a coal employee, turned an emblem of girls’s rights and a nationwide hero in her residence nation, with the state-run information media hailing her as “essentially the most succesful feminine fighter in China” and the “girl warrior of the East.”
Namajunas, who’s Lithuanian-American, lately stirred controversy by framing the battle with Zhang as an ideological contest between freedom and Communism. “Higher useless than pink,” Namajunas stated at one level, utilizing a McCarthy period anti-Communist slogan. She later walked again her feedback, saying she had by no means meant to personally disrespect Zhang.
Because the bout received underway on Saturday, the 2 fighters exchanged a number of kicks and jabs earlier than Namajunas dropped Zhang to the mat with a left head kick. Namajunas then jumped on Zhang and began pummeling her with proper hammerfists earlier than a referee jumped in to declare a knockout victory. The loss ended Zhang’s 21-fight profession win streak.
Instantly afterward, Zhang voiced frustration with the decision, saying she thought it had been made too quickly. Amongst commentators, although, and even amongst Zhang’s followers on Chinese language social media, most agreed that it had been the best name.
Zhang later congratulated Namajunas in a put up on Weibo, the Chinese language social media platform.
“Solely by defeating an ideal champion can I grow to be a legend, and solely by defeating a legend, can I grow to be a brand new particular person,” she wrote. “Earlier than, I aimed to win the U.F.C. championship, however now I’ve a better objective than the championship.”
“I hope U.F.C. can organize a second battle as quickly as potential,” she added.