Fighters Pick Fights | Andrade vs Zhang | UFC Shenzhen

In this exclusive SBN MMA Feature, Bloody Elbow Interviewer, Shakiel 'Shak' Mahjouri' speaks with UFC stars Felicia Spencer, Vicente Luque and more, to break down UFC Shenzhen's main event title fight between Jessica Andrade and Weili Zhang.

Timestamps:
0:19 - Vicente Luque
0:42 - Felicia Spencer
1:07 - Josh Emmett
1:26 - Khama Worthy
1:32 - Scott Holtzman
1:50 - Sam Alvey
2:01 - Kyle Stewart

The event will be taking place this Saturday, August 31st, 2019, from the Universiade Sports Centre in Shenzhen, China. This card is a UFC Fight Night broadcast, also known as UFC on ESPN+ 15, with the main card starting at 5AM CDT, and the Prelims on ESPN starting at 2AM CDT. Yes, those times are correct.

Here’s a look at the UFC China fight card as it stands today, Monday, August 26, 2019, via ESPN.com, (bout order/times are all subject to change):

UFC on ESPN+ 15 CHINA MAIN CARD | SAT AUG 31 - 5AM CDT
MAIN EVENT: 115 lbs - Jessica Andrade (20-6) vs. Weili Zhang (19-1)
CO-MAIN: 170 lbs - Elizeu Zaleski (21-5) vs. Jingliang Li (16-5)
125 lbs - Kai Kara-France (19-7) vs. Mark De La Rosa (11-2)
145 lbs - Lu Zhenhong (16-6) vs. Movsar Evloev (11-0)
125 lbs - Wu Yanan (10-2) vs. Mizuki Inoue (13-5)

ESPN PRELIMS | 2AM CDT
170 lbs - Song Kenan (10-2) vs. Derrick Krantz (24-11)
185 lbs - Jun Yong Park (9-3) vs. Anthony Hernandez (6-1)
135 lbs - Su Mudaerji (10-4) vs. Andre Soukhamthath (13-7)
205 lbs - Da Un Jung (11-2) vs. Khadis Ibragimov (8-0)
155 lbs - Da Un Ismagulov (18-2) vs. Thiago Moises (12-3)
135 lbs - Heili Alateng (12-7) vs. Batgerel Danaa (6-1)
135 lbs - Karol Rosa (11-3) vs. Lara Procopio (6-0)

[_VXI]

I'm picking Zhang actually, she's more well rounded, all she has to do is look at what Rose did to Andrade in their title fight. Andrade leaves herself open and she can get picked apart, just DON'T SIT in front of her and try to trade.

[doziermuzic]

I would like to see the post fight reactions of all the fighters who picked Andrade. This upset will be ugly.

[ellerellerek]

“I’ve never heard of zhang before so andrade all day everyday” wow, what a prediction

[tomasztom]

I got Zhang with an upset, a decision win after a war. I've been wrong before many times, though.

[truthtold]

Wow! I can’t believe everyone except for Sam wants Jessica to win. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

[michaelanese]

underselling Zhang big time Andrade didn't land 1 good shot on Rose that whole fight she was getting pieced until Rose made that mistake

[WitchyWagonReal]

I know both these fighters... and their histories, and the UFC angle here. Both these women are physically strong for Strawweight. I have followed Andrade during her career (where she competed 20lbs up in Bantam...), and like a lot of people in and out of the sport, as a fan I just love her attitude, enthusiasm, her bulldog gameness-- there are few things more fun to watch Bate Estaca pick girls up and ragdoll them. She is a lovely person, too... a worthy champion, but unfortunately not ideal for the UFC brass and their plans. At some point, her short reach and face-first style only gets you so far... she will have to make adjustments. And the UFC is hoping she will not be able to do that.

Zhang can pick her apart all day from the outside, with lots of power, and excellent technique. But can't Jessica just "get her to the ground...?, " no not really, because Zhang also has a savage ground game, with solid grappling and defense. I feel like this fight is literally a One-Two punch combo of these things: the UFC making Andrade defend her "stolen title" against a fighter more than likely to beat her, and the UFC craftily installing the first Chinese champion in Beijing to expand their market, and curtail the new Chinese MMA promotions being planned (as well as kick ONE FC in the teeth...). It's a brilliant, calculated move on their part. They absolutely hate that Jessica Andrade is champion at strawweight... she was supposed to be a game competitor and gatekeeper type fighter at Bantamweight, but then she slipped down twenty pounds to fight women she could beat using her physical strength and gameness. She was not "supposed to" win against Namajunas, being less skilled and shorter, and yet she hammered the UFC's new marketable Strawweight star with a "controversial" move (🙄 no it's not-- it's manufactured bullshit... "controversy" and whiney Gadelha's stupid mouth, to paint Andrade as "lucky" and "undeserving..."). It was all fine that Namajunas beat Joanna-- Thug Rose had likeability, marketability, spoke English, and was a tough and skilled fighter to boot, perfect... she even cleaned up nicely, post fight. Changing of the guard was healthy there... but in comes this short little Portuguese speaker who is not even supposed to messing around at Strawweight, who makes her walk outs with an Indian Chief headdress (which is just UNmarketable and potentially volatile as a "controversy" in today's ridiculous "social justice" atmosphere, regardless of what Andrade considers heritage... even though, and it probably doesn't matter, but might matter to some-- she is a lesbian who proposed to her wife in a postfight interview after a win...), and whose primary go-to move is to pick up girls and smash them to the ground, then smother them... Jessica is just not the kind of face UFC at all wanted as the champion in their hottest, most popular division (...which also hints to why they made Flyweight division in the first place... to have someplace where Valentina could be their star, and where Amanda didn't just steamroll everyone... marketing, marketing...).

Making Jessica defend against the toughest fighter in that division by far outside of Tatiana Suarez, on that fighter's home turf, against the pressure to become the first Chinese Champion, man or woman, in UFC history... it is clear as day UFC wants Andrade out ASAP.

But to automatically count out Jessica would be dumb... she has a chance. She has to be brave and decisive, work fairly quickly, and get inside and just punish Zhang physically like she has not been so far. (Elbow it up, make it dirty, and draw buckets of blood... make the UFC pay for their spectacle.) Then, of course, literally pick Zhang up, and mash her to the mat, Bate Estaca style-- force the ref to stop it. If Jessica does what she usually does-- a deliberate walk down and stalking-- WeiLi is not just strong, she's savage and smart, and she will soften Andrade up like a sparring session, before reversing Jessica's takedown and pounding her out on the ground. At best, WeiLi will knock out Jessica by 4/5, at worst earna decision... if Jessica does not disrupt that destiny. WeiLi has everything on the line here... literally everything she worked for her whole life, and the roar of a nation with a quarter of the planet behind her. This fight has two fighters with crazy heart... but only Jessica really needs to find a miracle this weekend.

Maybe it is enough that Andrade already won her belt. Maybe she can live with having achieved... she has lost plenty of times, so she will handle it fine. But this is about the biggest challenge any first time defending champ could possibly be put to... talk about a stacked deck. And all these fighters pick Andrade... because they don't know WeiLi. She is a great person, and will be an awesome champion. In fact, Zhang will be an awesome champion just enough for the UFC to milk the marketing out this-- and then they will match Zhang against their homegrown, cancer-beating could've-been-an-Olympic star, next-door-neighbor beauty, English-speaking but Mexican American dream TUF girl... Tatiana Suarez. And bank on Tatiana capturing Zhang, and crushing her face with elbows. ...but that is all in the future. (Believe it.)

In my heart, I would LOVE to see Jessica win somehow, just to stick it to the UFC who obviously doesn't support her championship at all... and they have a history of doing this-- treating their less-preferred, less marketable champions like total dirt. It shouldn't be this way-- champions have earned their respect, and respect they should get-- but that is what happens when "the League Office" has interest and stake in the teams themselves-- when the promotion can't be objective about who wins, because their fighters are their income, and they're not just a refereeing/sanctioning body that generates income from the sport itself, but milks the stars of the sport instead.

Zhang should win this... it's a completely stacked destiny, a programmed UFC march into China for her. She will never, ever get a better chance in history, or within the UFC. This has been a tailormade set up for her to dethrone Andrade, as "fixed" as a fight can be without being fixed. She is likeable, marketable, has an awesome backstory, has serious fighter skills, and she's young and hungry. Also look for the referee to make a swift fight stoppage if Jessica gets knocked down and swarmed with flailing arms... do not expect her to have any leeway to defend herself if Zhang even hints at KO'ing her. The UFC wants this in the bag.

I want Andrade to 🖕🏾the UFC... but if Zhang wins, she will have earned it and seized her opportunity. I am Chinese, I won't be sad. But I am realist... who also happens to love Tatiana Suarez 🤔 So... as an Andrade, Zhang, and Suarez fan... I suppose there is a way to both be disgusted at the management for their cynicism, yet appreciate their business savvy, and still "have cake and eat it" by watching three worthy champs.

[Jarrodmontelius]

I pick...




Oh wait, I don't care 😅😅😅

[Demoaccount-ik]

Shitty predictions, purely based on more known name
Chinese girl should take this fight without too much trouble