The April UFC 300 event is slowly assembling its card, with the exception of the headline match, which has not yet been revealed. Zhang Weili, the current UFC CEO, has confirmed that Zhang Weili will defend her championship against Yan Xiaonan, a fellow Chinese national, on April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This historic matchup marks the first time two Chinese competitors have faced off for a world title in UFC history.
Zhang, who has a 24-3 mixed martial arts career record, lost her final two bouts in 2021 against Rose Namajunas, the former champion. Despite these setbacks, Zhang is still a powerful force in the division after defeating Carla Esparza via rear-naked choke in the second round of UFC 281 in November 2022 to reclaim the championship. In August, Zhang defeated Amanda Lemos by unanimous decision, further establishing her reputation.
On the other hand, Yan has an 8-2 record in the UFC since joining in November 2017 and an overall career record of 17-3. Her recent back-to-back victories against Mackenzie Dern and Jessica Andrade have cemented her as one of the leading candidates for the coveted crown.
Dana White expressed his excitement for the Zhang vs. Yan bout, calling it a “badass” match. This highly anticipated matchup adds to the already impressive UFC 300 card scheduled for April, which also includes a lightweight matchup between Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan, a light heavyweight bout between Jiri Prochazka and Aleksandar Rakic, and a featherweight matchup between Aljamain Sterling and Calvin Kattar. Furthermore, Bo Nickal and Cody Brundage will play in another exciting encounter.
White made hints about two more fight announcements for the April card; on Thursday, further information is anticipated to be released. A thrilling night of fighting is in store for fans worldwide as excitement for the UFC 300 event grows.
