Amid the rampant spread of the headline-dominating Coronavirus, Chinese UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang has moved her training from her native China to Bangkok, Thailand.
In Bangkok, Zhang crossed paths with an absolute legend in Saenchai, widely regarded as one of the greatest Muay Thai fighters of all time — and certainly one of the flashiest.
While it’s unlikely Zhang is doing too much work with Saenchai as she prepares to defend her UFC title against former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248, she did get a few rounds of sparring in with the Thai legend, and it’s a sight to behold.
See a few clips of their work together, posted to the pair’s Instagram accounts, below.
“Learning from the 🐐@saenchaithailand in Thailand,” Zhang wrote in the caption for one of her posts. “Stay strong Wuhai, this fight is for you guys.”
“Thank you master @saenchaithailand for teaching me so much!,” Zhang added.
“Great fun sparring with @zhangweilimma today,” Saenchai wrote to Zhang. “Good luck see you March 7th!”
Weili Zhang captured the UFC strawweight title last summer, when she blasted Jessica Andrade to a TKO win in less than a minute, becoming the first Chinese champion in UFC history in the process. Jedrzejczyk, a former multiple-time defending champion, is likely the toughest test of her career.
Saenchai, meanwhile, is now 39, and is retired from high level Muay Thai, but does still travel the world for matches. The decorated Lumpinee champion recently picked up a win at a Yokkao event in Italy, and will likely return to the ring elsewhere soon.
Do you think this training session with Saenchai will be useful for Weili Zhang as she prepares for her UFC 248 fight with Joanna Jedrzejczyk? Let us know in the comments section.
This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 2/7/2020.