Weili Zhang, Other Chinese Fighters Monitoring Coronavirus Outbreak Ahead Of Fights
The recent coronavirus outbreak in China won’t be affecting fighters like women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang — at least, for now.
The coronavirus has been spreading all over Chinese cities with only one province reportedly not affected by it as of yet. A number of cities have since been quarantined and on lockdown to prevent any further spread.
According to MMA Fighting, Beijing hasn’t had a case of the coronavirus yet, which is a positive thing as Zhang as well as other Chinese fighters like Jingliang Li and Xiaonan Yan all train in the capital.
Zhang is set to defend her title against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 248 on March 7 in Las Vegas and her manager Brian Butler doesn’t anticipate any problems before they head to the United States:
“Weili and her camp have not been affected at all and have always kept a pretty tight circle,” Butler told MMA Fighting. “She is having the best camp of her career so far.”
Li is also competing at UFC 248 against Neil Magny while Yan meets Karolina Kowalkiewicz at UFC Auckland on February 22. Ruy Menezes trains the duo at China Top Team in Beijing and as it stands, the plan is to head to Auckland and then go directly to Las Vegas.
“We’ll travel earlier to New Zealand if (the virus) comes to Beijing, but I don’t think that will be necessary,” Menezes said. “We’ll only do it if the worst happens, and I don’t even know if New Zealand would let people from China in if that was the case. But I don’t think that will happen because the Chinese government already has the cities that are dealing with this problem on lockdown.
“I’m going to the gym in the morning and then going back home. Life goes on, but we’re being careful. I’ve warned my jiu-jitsu students that if anyone is coughing or experiencing fever, cold or headache, don’t come to the gym when I reopen it, because I won’t let them in.”
Hopefully, there are no issues leading up to those fights.
What do you think of the current situation?
