UFC champ Zhang says acting 'experiment' and fighting not so different
On the surface it's an unexpected twist for the first Chinese mixed martial arts fighter to win a UFC title and the current strawweight champion, who first claimed her crown by knocking out her opponent in 42 seconds.
"It's not really a career transition, I see it more as an experiment," the 35-year-old told AFP in Shanghai.
"I believe everything is connected in some way and there's actually a lot in common between fighting and acting... I find it really interesting -- a fresh experience."
Zhang told the Hollywood Reporter that she was initially against the idea of being in a film, but was compelled by the character of A Xi.
Because she cannot speak, "I had to express emotions through eye contact and body language", Zhang told AFP.
This is where her fighting experience came in useful because it has helped her "develop a richer physical language", she said.
Li, the director, has said Zhang's performance, especially as a first-time actress, was "truly astonishing".
"Her authenticity was bone-deep. It wasn't performance -- she was living as that person," she told a post-screening session at an offshoot of the Beijing International Film Festival.
The movie was initially scheduled for wider release in April but has been postponed.
Zhang suggested it might be released over the summer.
The MMA star, who received the script at the same time she was preparing for a title defence, has taken some lessons from her time on set back to the octagon.
"When the director would call 'cut' and say we had to do another take, and then another, that taught me patience," she laughed.
Previously, when told by the coach to do another set of exercises in training, "I'd be really frustrated".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
8 hours ago
- France 24
Lesotho's jockeys saddle up for mountain horse racing
Spectators lining the ridges cheered on the riders as their horses sprinted down one of Africa's highest tracks, more than 2,200 metres (7,200 feet) above sea level. Horse racing in Lesotho, a country ringed by South Africa, is not just a sport, it is a cultural carnival where wagers are the real blood sport. This weekend's edition in the village of Semonkong in central Lesotho carried extra weight; it was the premium fixture of the season and timed to mark King Letsie III's birthday. Preparations started before the crowd arrived, with the horses, also wrapped in blankets and balaclavas to keep warm, walked to the arena in song and dance, then brushed and fitted with weather-worn saddles for their races. Being 'focused' For many jockeys the track is a rare escape. The country of around 2.3 million people ranks among the world's poorest, its rich mineral wealth overshadowed by sky-high youth unemployment and a troubling rate of suicide. The textile-dependent economy faces further gloom, with fresh uncertainty following tariffs announced by the administration of US President Donald Trump, who earlier this year mocked Lesotho as a place "nobody has ever heard of". The unspoken rule is that you have to forget all your problems or you will fall, jockey Tsaenh Masosa told AFP. "You have to be focused," said the 21-year-old hotel employee, layered in white, pink and blue jackets. Races stretch between 800 and 1,200 metres across a rugged mountain terrain that tests both the rider and horse. Winners pocket up to 1,500 loti ($85) per race, a significant payday in Lesotho, where more than 36 percent of the population lives on less than $2 a day, according to the World Bank. At the trackside, most bets are simple showdowns -- punters backing one horse to outrun another, rather than the overall race winner. There are no tickets or betting slips, just fistfuls of cash, tense stares and quick payouts as money changes hands the moment one horse edges out another at the finish line. Horses over football Horses first arrived in Lesotho with European settlers in the 19th century, and over generations, crossbreeding gave rise to the sturdy Basotho pony -- mid-sized, tough and known for its endurance. These ponies, along with cross-breeds and thoroughbreds from neighbouring South Africa, now make up the racing stock. But beyond the track, horses remain part of daily life. In the mountains, they are still used to herd sheep and goats, or to reach remote villages where no roads go. That deep connection runs through the culture. "All the people from Semonkong prefer horse racing to football," said 39-year-old maintenance worker Andreas Motlatsi Mojaje. On the dusty oval, Masosa is still chasing his first win. He has raced seven times, coming closest with a second-place finish, but that has not dulled his hunger.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Usyk beats Dubois to become undisputed world heavyweight champion
Victory saw Ukraine's Usyk extend his unbeaten professional record to 24 fights as the WBA, WBC and WBO champion added his British opponent's IBF belt to his collection. Early in the fifth round Usyk -- at 38 some 11 years older than Dubois -- dropped his opponent to the canvas and finished the fight in emphatic fashion one minute and 52 seconds into the round after his trademark left hook left his British rival unable to beat the count. "38 is a young guy, remember!," proclaimed Usyk, in the ring after dropping to his knees in celebration. © 2025 AFP
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
NHL all-time record scorer Ovechkin calls for Russian return to global sports
The Washington Capitals ace received a jubilant reception during his first trip home since scoring his 895th goal last April to overtake the previous all-time record held by Canadian ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. "I hope that in the near future we will be allowed to participate and the guys will be able to take part in Olympiads and world championships to represent their country," the ice hockey superstar told AFP. Surrounded by swarms of journalists and ecstatic fans, he walked a Moscow high-end street which had been decked out with "Ovechkin 8" hockey jerseys and signs reading "eternal record". Russians have had little opportunity to celebrate international sporting success over the past three years, kicked out of a host of competitions over the Kremlin's Ukraine offensive. But Ovechkin's triumph offered them a rare chance to do so. 'That would be epic' Hundreds of fans lined up for an autograph at an outdoor ice rink, which serves as a football pitch during warm months. "Ovi, Ovi," the fans chanted Ovechkin's American nickname. This rink in a typical Moscow suburb is where the 39-year-old left wing striker took the first steps of his illustrious career. The rink stands out from the grey high-rise apartment blocks surrounding it, after having been carefully renovated by a sponsor, replete with a massive sign reading "eternal record 895" freshly painted on its surface. Antonina Mikhailova, an IT manager wearing Ovechkin's jersey, told AFP: "Whatever happens in the world, sport has no borders." "That would be epic, we must do that!" insisted Fyodor Troshin, an amateur hockey player also waiting for Ovechkin, of the prospect of Russian athletes returning to international sport events. "People like Alexander Ovechkin are bringing Russian sport closer to (international) leagues," the 40-year-old added. Despite his prowess on the ice, Ovechkin's politics and Russian connections have stoked some controversy, as he has been a prominent supporter of Vladimir Putin's 25-year rule, even after troops were sent to Ukraine. In a political balancing act, Ovechkin has not denounced Moscow's Ukraine offensive, but he has also carefully veered away from supporting it -- despite knowing such a move would be welcomed by Putin. "I felt proud of what we achieved, of breaking the record," Ovechkin, who is famously missing a front tooth, told AFP of breaking Gretzky's 26-year mark.
