UFC champ Zhang wants Namajunas: 'She would be a good challenge'

UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili wants to fight former champ Rose Namajunas in her second title defense, she told ESPN's Ariel Helwani on Thursday.

"I would fight anyone that the UFC offers to us, but my preference is to fight Rose because I believe she is the highest-level and most-skilled martial artist, outside of myself, in the division," Zhang said. "She would be a good challenge for me."

Zhang is coming off her first title defense, a split-decision win over ex-titleholder Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248 in March. She captured the 115-pound belt last summer with an early TKO of Jessica Andrade in her native China.

In Namajunas' last fight, she dropped the title to Andrade in devastating fashion. "Thug" was slammed on her head in the second round, resulting in a knockout loss.

Namajunas was scheduled for a rematch with Andrade at UFC 249 in April, but she withdrew from the contest after two of her family members died from the coronavirus.