On February 9, 2025, in Sydney, the sun shone on the octagon as she stood in the middle of the ring, a gold belt tied around her waist. Sweat was dripping down her face, her breathing was uneven, but her eyes were shining with determination. The referee raised her hand, announcing that Zhang Weili had successfully defended her title by defeating Tatiana Suarez. The cheers were loud, but she just nodded, calm amid the tumult.
Zhang Wei Li learns Tai Chi
Very quickly, it was calculated that Truong Vi Le's basic income from the above match was 800 thousand USD, plus 400 thousand USD from 500,000 PPV (Pay Per View) votes, and 42,000 USD from sponsorship, totaling 1.742 million USD (44 billion VND).
After the match, Truong Vi Le replied: “ I am quite stubborn. I like to challenge my opponent’s strengths, then strengthen my own. Only then can I overcome myself. Fear of my opponent’s wrestling techniques only limits me.” Then Truong Vi Le made a statement reminiscent of the famous saying of Bruce Lee, her idol: “ Be like water, change shape according to shape.”
Miner's Daughter Becomes a Fighter
To become the "million dollar fighter" that she is today, Truong Vi Le has gone through a long journey: from a miner's daughter, to a kindergarten teacher, to a gym employee, to a UFC champion. Truong Vi Le said about her life: "Life is like an octagon. Some people see the fence, I see the horizon."
Zhang Wei Li overcame adversity to become a UFC fighter.
In 2002, in Handan, Hebei (China), Zhang Weili, then 12 years old, grew up surrounded by the sound of coal mine whistles. Her father, a miner, worked in the dark tunnels every day and returned home covered in dust.
Truong Vi Le's family was not rich, but her parents always taught her: " Even if you don't have money, you must have courage ." Truong Vi Le's father realized that his daughter was healthy and active, so he let her learn martial arts.
At the town dojo, Zhang Wei Li quickly revealed her talent. She gradually realized that her muscles were strong and she had an outstanding ability to endure pain. Zhang Wei Li even did not hesitate to duel with boys to prove herself.
After each match, Truong Vi Le was covered in bruises and had a bloody nose, but when her mother asked if she wanted to stop, Truong Vi Le replied: "If I don't practice martial arts, what else can I do? ". 7 months later, Truong Vi Le defeated all her opponents, earning the coach's recognition.
In 2004, at the age of 14, Zhang Weili won the Hebei Youth Sanshou Championship. Standing on the podium, she felt that her path would never end. However, a back injury from intense training forced her to leave the Sanshou team at the age of 17. The doctor warned: “ If you continue practicing martial arts, it will affect your normal life in the future .” Although she was reluctant, Zhang Weili had to stop.
Zhang Wei Li’s life seemed to have been put on pause when, at her age, many people began to think about the future. Zhang Wei Li worked as a kindergarten teacher and quickly adapted to her new life. But every day, as the sky darkened, Zhang Wei Li unconsciously clenched her fists, her knuckles making a small creaking sound – many years later, she understood that it was the call of her dream.
Truong Vi Le thought she had gotten used to her new life, but every quiet night, a voice in her heart always asked: "Will we live like this forever? Is this all?"
In the end, Truong Vi Le gave up the job she thought was safe, working many jobs such as hotel receptionist, security guard, but none of them lasted long. When she entered a gym, she saw a punching bag hanging in the corner, her heart pounded. Truong Vi Le asked the manager: "Can I work out when I have free time?" The manager immediately nodded. From then on, after work, she punched the punching bag, releasing her suppressed strength.
Here, she met Ngo Hao Thien, an MMA fighter. Recognizing Truong Vi Le's talent, Ngo Hao Thien suggested that she pursue MMA. Truong Vi Le's journey to MMA began from there.
Zhang Wei Li Achieves Success in Pursuing Martial Arts
Tai Chi and Bruce Lee's Philosophy
In 2018, Zhang Wei Li signed a contract with UFC. In 2019, she entered the world's Top 10. In August 2019, in Shenzhen, Zhang Wei Li defeated Andrade, becoming the first UFC champion from China and Asia. However, the halo did not last long for Zhang Wei Li. In April 2021, she lost to Rose Namajunas after 78 seconds and lost the championship belt.
After this defeat, Zhang Wei Li went to the US to study wrestling with freestyle champion Henry Cejudo in order to turn his weakness into a weapon. In the rematch in November 2021, Zhang Wei Li performed excellently in the first two rounds, but was exhausted and lost again. However, Zhang Wei Li still refused to give up.
After returning to her hometown of Handan, Zhang Wei Li enjoyed a rare period of peace after many years of training. It was also during this time that she met a Tai Chi master surnamed Yang and discovered the power of this ancient martial art. “I felt my body completely empty. Even though I pressed my body against his, my hands were still empty, and my strength could hardly keep up with his movements. When I pushed to the limit, he used my own strength to lift me up, leaving my hands powerless,” Zhang Wei Li confided.
Cheung Wei Li learned Bruce Lee's philosophy.
It was also during this time that Cheung Wei Li understood Bruce Lee’s classic saying: “Be water, my friend.” Cheung Wei Li realized that she needed to be like water, adapting to changes in the rules, instead of confronting them. She applied this philosophy to her wrestling techniques, improving her ability to control and react when facing opponents.
Zhang Wei Li defeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Carla Esparza in turn, regaining the UFC gold belt. From the peak to the abyss, Zhang Wei Li climbed back to the top of glory. To date, she has successfully defended the women's strawweight championship title four times.
When asked by a reporter how she defined herself as “the new legend of UFC” , Truong Vi Le said: “The so-called legend is to turn the phrase ‘this is the end’ into ‘it’s not over and there’s more to come’.”
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/tham-bai-hoc-cua-ly-tieu-long-con-gai-nguoi-tho-mo-thanh-vo-si-trieu-do-ar928955.html
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