Weili Zhang (left) and Joanna Jedrzejczyk (right) square off at the UFC 248 weigh in ceremony.
UFC 248 results: Zhang Weili earns split nod over Joanna Jedrzejczyk in epic slugfest
On Saturday night, March 7, 2020, the UFC returns to their home base in Las Vegas with two world title fights.
UFC 248 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena and will be headlined by Israel Adesanya defending his middleweight title against Yoel Romero.
In the co-main event, Zhang Weili makes her first defense of her women’s strawweight title, taking on the longtime former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Weili has won her last 20 fights as a pro heading into the bout. “Magnum” captured the title with an incredible 42 second finish of Jessica Andrade in the main event of August’s UFC Shenzen event and will look to make a it a perfect 5-0 in the UFC.
Jedrzejczyk was the longtime women’s strawweight champion and put the division on the map. After losing the title — and the rematch — to Rose Namajunas, Jedrzejczyk picked up a win over Tecia Torres before challenging Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight title at UFC 231 in December 2018, losing a unanimous decision. The 32-year-old returned to 115 in October and defeated Michelle Waterson via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC Tampa to set up a chance to become the first female fighter in UFC history to capture a world title on two separate occasions.
Here is how the highly anticipated co-main event for the women’s strawweight title between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk went down at UFC 248, including round-by-round scoring. For full results of the event, you can check them out right here.
ROUND 1
They touch gloves — Joanna reluctantly — and begin to feel each other out. Leg kick attempted exchanged over and over again. Right hand from Jedrzejczyk, Weili answers with a leg kick. Right hand from the challenger on the button with a leg kick behind it. Big exchange, advantage Joanna Jedrzejczyk with over 90 seconds gone in the round. Combination from Jedrzejczyk capped off with a hard leg kick. Weili with a missile left hook attempt, leg kick lands behind it. Halfway through the round and Weili with a pistol of a right hand lands hard on the challenger. Leg kick from Jedrzejczyk, a hard low kick counter from the champion. Weili is starting to build confidence with her counter attack and Jedrzejczyk is much more tentative. Final minute of the round and Weili lands another hard right hand. Spinning back kick to the body comes up short from Weili but is able to land a body kick behind it. Right hand from Joanna, Weili answers with a quicker-than-a-hiccup combination. The horn sounds and Joanna lands afterwards, but apologizes after.
Grab that popcorn. 🍿
Zhang and Joanna delivering through R1! #UFC248 pic.twitter.com/h2cnNgBwEh
— UFC (@ufc) March 8, 2020
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 for Weili
ROUND 2
Both women are showing early signs of battle thus far as the total strikes were even at 28 each in the opening round. They exchange with Weili getting the best of it. Right hand lands clean by the challenger with a low kick to the calf behind it. Nice combination from Joanna with a hard calf kick rounding it out. A pair of leg kicks from Jedrzejczyk, a nice jab as well. Weili shoots in and Joanna defends, pushing Weili against the fence. Knee to the body from Joanna and Weili attempts a judo throw. Joanna is able to stay on her feet, but Weili is all over her against the fence. Joanna lands a knee to the body and Weili with a beautiful elbow on the break. Halfway through the round and Weili lands a counter right hand. Weili lands another right hand that stings Joanna with a side kick behind it. Weili gets the fight to the mat and looks to work. Nice job by Joanna to get back to her feet just outside the 90 second mark. Left hand from Jedrzejczyk, Weili counters with a quick right hand. Low kick from the champion and Joanna lands a front kick to the body. Body kick from Weili lands, Joanna answers with a right hand. Leg kick from the challenger approaching the final 10 seconds. Joanna lands a front kick to the face and charges in on Weili and they tie up against the fence. Weili tries for a last second takedown as the round ends. Great first 10 minutes of this one!
🏆🇨🇳 The champion teeing off! #UFC248 pic.twitter.com/Al6ZsMBSqr
— UFC (@ufc) March 8, 2020
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 for Jedrzejczyk
ROUND 3
They come out firing and Weili lands a hard left hand. Low kick lands hard from the champion and Joanna eats a big left hand. Weili counters a Jedrzejczyk left hand with a combination. Leg kick from Weili, Joanna counters with a left hand. Jedrzejczyk switches her stance and is landing some big shots, maybe sensing Weili slowing down. Weili lands a right hand and Joanna counters with a left. Both ladies trade leg kicks and Joanna is starting to pick up the pace. Weili charges in and lands a knee and comes up short on an elbow attempt. Weili takes Joanna down twice, with the challenger getting right back to her feet both times. Joanna lands a knee to the body and gets separation. Weili with a kick to the body before taking Joanna down. Jedrzejczyk has a huge hematoma on her forehead and it’s getting bigger. Leg kick from Weili, Joanna answers with a left hand. Another hard left hand from the challenger, right hand from Weili, another left from Joanna. This fight is crazy to watch and recap as they exchange wildly in the final seconds. This fight is living up to expectations.
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 for Jedrzejczyk
ROUND 4
Tough rounds to score — especially the second and third — as we hit the championship rounds. Body kick from Weili opens things up in the fourth round. Weili lands a big right hand and Joanna takes it well. Joanna lands a hard left hand, Weili answers with a hard right hand. Body kick from Jedrzejczyk and a jab from the champion. Both ladies land hard left hooks and they get in the proverbial phone booth to exchange. Right hand from Weili, clinch knee to the head from the challenger. There’s still three-plus minutes in this round, folks. Beautiful body-head combination from Jedrzejczyk with a head kick behind it. Check hook from Joanna with a leg kick too boot. Left hook, again, from Jedrzejczyk. Weili answers with a left hook of her own as the final two minutes approaches. Big exchange from the ladies and Weili lands a massive right hand. Hard leg kick from the challenger, Weili answers with one of her own. Left hook from Joanna and a hard elbow behind it as they clinch against the fence. Elbow and a left hook on the break from Jedrzejczyk. Joanna’s head is so swollen, but she keeps moving forward, landing a left hook. Final 10 seconds and Joanna just misses a high kick. Weili moves forward as the round ends. Joanna looks pretty unrecognizable with that hematoma, but she could be five minutes away from winning her title back.
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 for Jedrzejczyk
ROUND 5
Both ladies hug it out to begin the final round and Joanna lands a hard left hook. Another wild exchange from Weili and Joanna, the challenger lands a hard calf kick. Weili comes up short with a combination, Joanna lands a hard right hand. Weili answers with a big left hook and Joanna’s nose is busted up. Left hook from Weili lands and Joanna’s chin should have its own place in the UFC Hall of Fame after this fight. Joanna continues to push forward and lands two hard left hooks on the button. Weili answers and Joanna comes forward to throw some heat of her own. Body kick from Weili, right hand from Joanna and a hard left hook from the champion. They clinch against the fence before Joanna gets separation. Final 90 seconds of this instant classic and they exchange big shots. Joanna with a leg kick as Weili looks to have found a second level in the energy department. Right hand over the top from Joanna and a hard leg kick as well. Left hand from the champion, leg kick answer from Joanna. Final 35 seconds of this one and Weili lands a right hand. Joanna with a kick to the body and Weili comes up short on a spinning back fist. Joanna lands one of her own. The horn sounds and this was an incredible fight.
WARRIORS. 👊
Weili and Joanna putting it all on the line for the right to be called champion! 🏆 #UFC248 pic.twitter.com/uav5jTjn4B
— UFC (@ufc) March 8, 2020
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 for Weili and the fight 48-47 for Jedrzejczyk
Official result: Zhang Weili def. Joanna Jedrzejczyk via split decision (47-48, 48-47 x2)
