Champ Zhang Weili returns to China six weeks after UFC 248 classic

Zhang Weili is finally going home, more than a month after her all-time great title fight with Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248.

Weili (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC), the reigning UFC strawweight champion, endured a wild travel experience leading up to her encounter with Jedrzejczyk on March 7. She was forced to leave her native China far ahead of the event as the coronavirus pandemic started to become a serious threat, but after much headache, managed to make it to Las Vegas.

Despite all the travel hiccups, Weili produced an incredible fight with Jedrzejczyk, edging out a thrilling split decision to defend her belt for the first time in the “Fight of the Year” frontrunner.

Unlike most fighters, though, Weili didn’t go home immediately after her fight. According to her manager, Brian Butler of SuckerPunch Entertainment, Weili remained in Las Vegas for the past six weeks to minimize risk traveling from the U.S. to China as the coronavirus crisis worsened.

Butler told MMA Junkie, following an initial report from ESPN, that Weili, along with two of her team members, are set to embark on the journey home beginning Sunday.

Weili has been out of the country since early February. It remains to be seen when she will be booked to fight again as the UFC attempts to put fights back together in the midst of the pandemic.