long rumored<\/a> fight between Zhang and Namajunas. \u201cBut I think (the fight) will probably be in the first quarter. \u2026 We\u2019re training for a while here. It appears that her next fight will be against Rose, but nothing is set yet. Everything indicates that\u2019s the plan \u2014 and it makes sense, everybody knows that.\u201d<\/p>\nNamajunas, who previously ruled over the UFC strawweight division, remains one of the division’s toughest fighters, and is widely considered one of Zhang’s toughest foes to date.<\/p>\n
Jordao, however, feels the champion is well prepared for this challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s another tough opponent,\u201d Jordao said. \u201cI think Rose is more technical (than Zhang\u2019s previous opponents), more calm, and very talented. It\u2019s time to test that.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know she\u2019s probably training really hard, but I think it\u2019s a good match-up for Weili Zhang style-wise. People say she\u2019s is very strong, very strong, but we\u2019ve seen how technical she is, too. I trust Weili and think she will be able to defeat Rose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Given that Zhang is known first and foremost as a striker, and that Namajunas has flaunted a lethal ground game in the past, many fans feel the challenger would be wise to drag this fight to the mat. Yet Jordao reminds that Zhang is no slouch in the grappling department.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe has taken every opponent down in the UFC except for \u2018Bate Estaca\u2019 (Andrade),\u201d Jordao said of Zhang. \u201cShe\u2019s always training jiu-jitsu, she\u2019s very well-rounded. I train with her for six years and I watch her evolution closely, I know how powerful her strikes are, her technique on the ground, how strong is her guillotine and rear-naked choke, her armbar. She\u2019s very confident on the ground. She\u2019s not afraid to go to the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n
Do you think Weili Zhang can successfully defend her title against Rose Namajunas next year?<\/p>\n
\n
Pedro Jordao, one of the coaches behind UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang, says his pupil is likely to defend her title against Rose Namajunas in early 2021. \u201cWe\u2019ll see how things go with this virus,\u201d Jordao told MMA Fighting, laying out the timeframe for a long rumored fight between Zhang and Namajunas. \u201cBut I think […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54430,"featured_media":345262,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[39610,39687],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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