UFC 281 faceoff: Zhang Weili hears chants from crowd during staredown with Carla Esparza

NEW YORK – The UFC 281 co-headliners crossed paths for the first time on fight week during Thursday’s pre-fight news conference, where Carla Esparza and Zhang Weili locked eyes.

Esparza (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will attempt to make the first defense of her second strawweight title reign when she meets former champ Weili (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in the co-main event of Saturday’s pay-per-view main card, which follows prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

After answering questions from reporters at the press conference, Esparza and Weili engaged in a staredown in which both women showed respect ahead of their upcoming clash.

Watch the video above for the first Esparza vs. Weili faceoff for UFC 281.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 281.