In a 40-minute interview posted on social media last week, Zhang opened up about the pressure she faces away from the octagon. When asked what her family are currently least satisfied with, the Chinese fighter replied: “That I can’t find a partner.”
Just a year ago, Zhang expressed relief that her parents were not pressuring her to marry and that freedom allowed her to focus on her martial arts career while letting her love life unfold naturally. However, everything changed in the first half of 2026, as her family grew increasingly concerned about her relationship status, the South China Morning Post reported.
Faced with this family pressure, the former strawweight champion (48-52 kg) attempted to find a boyfriend through dating apps and matchmaking websites. However, fearing she might be recognized by fans, she hesitated to sign up using her actual identity.
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China’s UFC world champion Zhang Weili with her brand new look. Photo by Instagram/@zhangweilimma |
“I secretly checked them, but as soon as I clicked to see more details, real-name registration was required,” she said.
When asked about her criteria for a partner, the 37-year-old said she wants someone with a good personality and someone she can talk to.
She joked that a potential partner should be “good-looking enough to be presentable, not someone you look at and want to hit.” Zhang also emphasized that public opinion matters little to her; as long as she thinks he’s great, that is enough.
Zhang also acknowledged that cultural and language differences could be barriers when dating someone from another country, noting that such a relationship would require many adjustments from both sides.
Another major challenge is Zhang’s limited social circle. Because most of her time and energy is dedicated to training, she has few chances to meet people outside the martial arts world.
“I think I need to find someone who understands life,” she added. “I feel I really don’t understand life that well. My sense of purpose is sometimes perhaps too strong.”
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Zhang Weili celebrates her knockout victory over Brazilian fighter Jessica Andrade in their UFC strawweight championship fight in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, on Aug. 31, 2019. Photo by UFC |
Zhang’s interview quickly drew attention on Chinese social media. Many fans were surprised to learn that one of the world’s most formidable female athletes also faces the pressure to marry as other women do.
“It turns out even the combat queen has these troubles!” a user wrote.
“Urging her to marry, which guy would dare? Aren’t they afraid of getting beaten up?” another jokingly commented.
Often dubbed “China’s toughest woman,” Zhang is used to comments about her single status. She previously offered a witty response to these jokes.
“We charge money to hit people,” she said. “Did you pay? And you still want to get beaten up? You’re thinking too much.”
Born into a rural family in Hebei, Zhang has worked many jobs to make a living, such as a preschool teacher, hotel receptionist, security guard, and gym salesperson, before her athletic breakthrough when she signed with the UFC in 2018.
Her career turning point arrived in August 2019 when she defeated Jessica Andrade via a technical knockout just 42 seconds into their bout in Shenzhen, officially becoming the first Asian fighter to win a UFC world championship.
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Zhang Weili (L) kicks at Valentina Shevchenko in the fourth round of their women’s flyweight championship fight at UFC 322 in New York on Nov. 15, 2025. Photo by AP |
Following dramatic title defenses and consecutive losses in the next two years, she reclaimed her strawweight belt against Carla Esparza in 2022 and went on to defend her title three more times against Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan and Tatiana Suarez in the next three years.
Outside the octagon, Zhang used her global platform to challenge gender stereotypes in Chinese society and responded to comments that she didn’t act “like a woman.”
“Whether I am a woman or not is not for you to decide, and what a woman should be like is not for you to decide either.”
In November 2025, Zhang moved up to a higher weight class with the ambition of securing a second UFC championship, falling short in a narrow defeat. In March 2026, her classic fight with Joanna Jedrzejczyk was officially inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, becoming the first women’s bout in history to receive the honor.
Zhang continues to train consistently and is expected to return to the UFC in 2027. However, outside the ring, the 37-year-old has to face a different challenge: finding a suitable partner under pressure from her parents.