UFC 281: Carla Esparza to defend belt against Zhang Weili in co-main at Madison Square Garden
UFC strawweight fighters Carla Esparza and Zhang Weili. Credit: Getty Images
The UFC once again is bringing multiple title fights to its annual event inside Madison Square Garden.
Two-time strawweight champion Carla Esparza will defend her latest title for the first time against former champ Zhang Weili at UFC 281 on Nov. 12, the promotion announced Saturday. The five-round bout will serve as the co-main event at MSG, preceding the welterweight championship between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira.
The first-ever UFC strawweight champion, Esparza recently reclaimed the 115-pound belt more than seven years after she won, then lost her first title in consecutive fights. The 34-year-old is 9-3 since, including a six-fight win streak that culminated with a split-decision victory over Rose Namajunas for the belt in May.
Zhang is looking for a second title reign of her own in her second fight in New York. The 33-year-old became China’s first UFC champion in 2019, successfully defending the title once before losing it via knockout to Namajunas in April 2021, then failing to reclaim it from “Thug Rose” in a split decision at UFC 268 last November at the Garden. She last fought in June, knocking out former longtime champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk via spinning backfist.
UFC 281 will be the promotion's sixth event at the Garden since New York legalized professional MMA in 2016. It will be the fourth time multiple UFC titles have been up for grabs on an MSG fight night.
The Esparza-Zhang fight is the third officially unveiled for the event. No. 15 Molly McCann, a rising social media star, is set to face No. 12 Erin Blanchfield in a flyweight bout.
Ryan Gerbosi is an internet news manager for sports at Newsday.com. He also covers NYCFC and mixed martial arts and believes the designated hitter should be banned from baseball.
