"First ever hip thrust TKO?" - Fans react to Zhang Weili training with massive weights ahead of Carla Esparza title fight

Zhang Weili is set to come up against current UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza at UFC 281. 'Magnum' will look to reclaim the title she once held, and videos on her Instagram profile seem to indicate that she is training incredibly hard for the contest.

A post by @best.casual.mma on Instagram features an image of 'Magnum' performing a 'hip thrust' exercise. The caption reads:

"Zhang doesn't play"

See the post below:

Weili will be hoping that the hard training she is currently putting in will pay off in UFC gold, come UFC 281. If the majority of MMA fans' reactions to the post are anything to go by, 'Magnum' has got an excellent chance of beating the American champion in November.

@dwyer.louis wrote:

"First ever hip thrust TKO?"

@frrxzn does not like her opponent's chances:

"Esparzas flying 10ft across the octagon the moment she shoots for a takedown"

Check out the reactions below:

Fans' reactions to the Zhang Weili post

Weili's next outing will be her fifth title fight in her last six fights, and she will be hungry to reclaim the throne. However, 'Magnum' faces a savvy veteran in Esparza, who won't make it easy for her to win the fight.

Esparza has more experience in the UFC and provides a new threat to 'Magnum' in the form of a wrestling-based game plan. Will Weili's superior title-fight experience be enough for her to be crowned the UFC champion once again?

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Zhang Weili labels Leon Edwards' KO as "an incredible moment"

Zhang Weili could not resist posting a video on Instagram following Leon Edwards' incredible title victory over Kamaru Usman.

As someone who originally began training Shaolin Kung Fu, 'Magnum' truly appreciated the accuracy and timing of the kick landed by Edwards.

Weili posted a video on her Instagram, echoing the thoughts and feelings that many people had, which is that it isn't over until the final bell rings:

"Anything can happen in a master match. There can be no let-up. It was an incredible moment."

Zhang Weili will hope to emulate Edwards' title victory with one of her own when she faces off against Carla Esparza at UFC 281. It will also be a classic 'wrestler vs. striker' matchup, very similar to Edwards vs. Usman.

'Magnum' would want to win the title but would like to go about her business in a more dominant fashion than 'Rocky' was able to do.