UFC on ESPN+ 15 weigh-in results: Championship gets the green light; one fighter misses weight
The Ultimate Fighting Championship makes its first stop in Shenzhen, China, for UFC on ESPN+ 15: Andrade vs. Zhang, where UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade will make the first defense of the belt she won by defeating Rose Namajunas at UFC 237.
Andrade is on a hot streak, having won her four most consecutive bouts, defeating the likes of Tecia Torres, Claudia Gadelha, and Karolina Kowalkiewicz in addition to Namajunas. Her first title defense will be no easy task, however. Andrade puts her belt on the line against Weili Zhang on the Chinese fighter’s home turf.
While Andrade is favored in the fight, Zhang has lost only once in her professional career, that being her very first fight. Now, 19 bouts later, Zhang takes a 19-1 record into her first shot at a UFC title. She has won all three of her fights in the Octagon. Zhang has the opportunity to make history at UFC on ESPN+ 15, where she can become the first Chinese UFC champion.
The UFC on ESPN+ 15 headliner was green lighted on Thursday (Friday local time in Shenzhen) when both fighters made weight. Andrade stepped on the scale at 114.5 pounds, while Zhang weighed 115 pounds.
The co-main event features another popular Chinese fighter in Li Jingliang, who is 8-3 during his Octagon tenure. He’ll face Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, who is on a seven-fight winning streak.
Jingliang tipped the scale at 171 pounds and Zaleski dos Santos weighed 170.5 pounds.
The entire fight card is intact following the weigh-in, although one fighter missed the mark.
Wu Yunan, who is scheduled to open the main card opposite Mizuki Inoue, weighed 129 pounds for the 125-pound flyweight contest. Inoue was on point at 125 pounds. Inoue agreed to keep the fight on schedule, accepting 30-percent of Yunan's fight purse.
It’s important to note the early start time for UFC on ESPN+ 15: Andrade vs. Zhang because of the time difference between China and the United States. The main card, which airs on ESPN+, starts at 6 a.m. ET / 3 a.m. PT. The UFC on ESPN+ 15 preliminary bouts will air on ESPN at 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. (Midnight) PT.
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UFC on ESPN+ 15: Andrade vs. Zhang fight card
Main Card (6 a.m. ET on ESPN+)
Jéssica Andrade (c)(114.5) vs. Weili Zhang (115)
Li Jingliang (171) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (170.5)
Mark De La Rosa (125.5) vs. Kai Kara-France (126)
Movsar Evloev (146) vs. Lu Zhenhong (146)
Wu Yanan (129)* vs. Mizuki Inoue (125)
Preliminary Card (3 a.m. ET on ESPN+)
Song Kenan (170.5) vs. Derrick Krantz (169)
Anthony Hernandez (186) vs. Jun Yong Park (185)
Andre Soukhamthath (136) vs. Su Mudaerji (136)
Da Un Jung (206) vs. Khadis Ibragimov (206)
Damir Ismagulov (155.5) vs. Thiago Moises (156)
Heili Alateng (136) vs. Danaa Batgerel (136)
Karolline Rosa Cavedo (135.5) vs. Lara Fritzen Procopio (135)
*Wu Yanan missed weight and will forfeit 30 percent of her purse
Tune in for full UFC on ESPN+ 15: Andrade vs. Zhang live results from Shenzhen, China, on Aug. 31 on MMAWeekly.com. UFC strawweight champion Jessica Andrade will make the first defense of her title against Weili Zhang. Andrade is the favorite, but faces a tough fight with Zhang having the opportunity to become China’s first UFC champion.
