UFC champion Zhang Weili is expanding her career into both television and movies, stepping beyond the octagon into the world of entertainment.
The reigning UFC strawweight champion, who holds significant star power and influence in her native China, is set to have her compelling life story adapted into a new drama series. This untitled project has received approval from iQiYi, one of China`s largest streaming platforms. The announcement was made during the Beijing International Film Festival, with production anticipated to commence in the near future.
In addition to the television series focusing on her life, the 35-year-old fighter is also venturing into acting. She has secured a featured role in a new movie titled After Typhoon, directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Li Yu.
This art-house drama features Zhang in the role of Ah Xi, a character described as “a woman with a tragic past whose life is turned upside down after she meets a young stranger on a storm-threatened island.”
Despite maintaining a demanding schedule with her professional fighting career, Zhang revealed that she had not previously given serious thought to acting. Her perspective changed after meeting director Li Yu and reading the script for *After Typhoon*, which ultimately prompted her to consider the role.
Commenting on the unexpected turn, Zhang stated she “never considered acting” before this opportunity arose “all of a sudden.” This suddenness initially made her “against it,” particularly because the film is “not action” but “a very emotional film,” which felt “so very different” from her familiar world of fighting. However, she eventually found the “idea of taking on this challenge” appealing.
Interestingly, Zhang received the movie script around the same time she was deep in preparation for her title defense against Yan Xiaonan at the historic UFC 300 event. While an acting debut could easily have served as a distraction for the two-time champion, Zhang found that having something to focus on outside of the fight was actually beneficial at that time.
She explained that discussing the script offered a way “to relax” and “forget for a little while about everything else,” providing a welcome contrast to the constant focus on “tactical stuff” leading up to a fight.
Zhang successfully defended her title against Yan at UFC 300 and later delivered another impressive performance, defeating previously undefeated challenger Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312 in February.
Currently, Zhang does not have her next fight officially scheduled. However, rumors are circulating that she might consider moving up to the flyweight division to challenge the winner of the upcoming UFC 315 co-main event between Valentina Shevchenko and Manon Fiorot.
While her fighting career remains her primary focus, Zhang admitted that she thoroughly enjoyed her experience making her feature film debut. As a result, acting is now something she is definitely open to considering again in the future.
Concluding her thoughts on the matter, Zhang stated her immediate focus is back on training, but added, “who’s to say what will happen in the future? I think if a good role came along, whether it`s action or drama, I think now I`d take it,” indicating her willingness to explore further opportunities in the entertainment industry.
