20 | Friday, March 6, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY SPORTS

SOCCER MMA Coach Li not letting virus uncertainty cloud focus

By SHI FUTIAN tough task master since being [email protected] named as Marcello Lippi’s succes­ sor in January, pushing his play­ Team China head coach Li Tie ers to their limits during his first has prioritized discipline both on national team training camp in and off the pitch as his squad Guangzhou and now again in readies for World Cup qualifiers Dubai. under a cloud of uncertainty due From day one, the former Ever­ to the coronavirus outbreak. ton midfielder stressed the Li and his squad kicked off a importance of discipline and training camp in Dubai on Team China “selflessness”, with breaches of Wednesday in preparation for coach Li Tie punctuality and travel protocol Group A qualifying matches in not tolerated. Thailand at the end of the month that could Only defender Zhang Lingpeng and striker yet be postponed as the virus continues to Wu Lei were absent from Li’s 26­man squad spread around the world. on the first day of training in Dubai. Player discipline and safety have, therefore, Zhang is working separately with a fitness taken on extra importance for Li’s squad, with coach as the veteran tries to shake off a minor PP Sports reporting that the national team injury, while Wu will not train in Dubai due to has enforced strict rules forbidding players to his commitments in Spain with relegation­ travel alone in Dubai. battling Espanyol. “Despite the number of confirmed corona­ If the March games go ahead, Wu will join his virus cases in the United Arab Emirates being national teammates in Dubai after Espanyol’s relatively low, the team is still abiding by strict match against Getafe on March 22, before the rules as a precaution for the safety of the squad heads to Thailand together. As a precau­ national team,” PP Sports reported. tionary measure due to the virus outbreak, “Players are not allowed to travel alone, Thailand has stipulated that Team China must especially to populous areas. The national travel as one group, with players not permitted team is staying in the same hotel as two Chi­ to enter the country individually. Reigning UFC women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili of China will take on Poland’s Joanna Jedrzejczyk in Las nese Super League teams. But the national Before heading to Dubai, Li traveled to Spain Vegas at UFC 248 on Saturday. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY team and the club teams are in different sec­ to watch Wu in action for Espanyol against tions of the hotel and have separate dining English club Wolves and Atletico Madrid, tak­ areas. The team is following the highest level ing time to speak to his star forward in person. of epidemic prevention standards.” “Coach Li visited me this week, and I kept China is scheduled is to face the Maldives him waiting for too long as I had to do a urine and Guam on March 26 and 31 in Thailand, test that day,” Wu wrote in his personal blog before facing the Philippines and Syria on on Wednesday. June 4 and 9. However, the Asian Football “He shared lots of stories about himself Confederation is reportedly considering post­ when he played in a foreign country. He gave poning those games until October and up many things back home to stay abroad. November. And he made it. Despite the uncertainty, Li is demanding “He told me his head coach kicked the his players maintain total commitment in translator out of the training venue just to training. help him learn the language. After tough “Although the schedule of the World Cup training, he still had to attend language class qualifiers is still not confirmed, I still hope all each week. He forced himself to grow faster. the players will remain focused during the “Without the internet and smartphones, training camp here,” said Li. “The players the learning process for him was much tough­ Zhang Weili has incorporated tai chi into her training to Chinese welterweight Li Jingliang will fight against should give their best efforts in training and er than what I’m facing today. I can feel all the improve her composure. American Neil Magny on Saturday. warm­up matches here.” difficulties he faced, and all that will be pre­ Li has quickly garnered a reputation as a cious to one’s life.” Vegas stakes high for China’s UFC warriors

Zhang Weili primed for title defense while stoppages, is arguably the most danger­ ous foe Zhang has ever faced. compatriot Li Jingliang looks to continue rise She’s possibly also the most provoca­ tive, with the Pole even poking fun at the By SUN XIAOCHEN in Vegas speaks volumes for the country’s coronavirus outbreak in China to try to [email protected] rise in the octagon. rile her rival. “We are so excited to see more and On Jan 28, Jedrzejczyk posted an Get ready to rumble, Vegas: The most more Chinese fighters join us in the top altered version of a fight poster on Insta­ lethal forces from the East are coming to echelon of the sport and show their gram, where she appears wearing a gas Team China players enjoy a light moment during a training session in Dubai on conquer the mixed martial arts capital of strength representing China,” said the mask standing behind Zhang, accompa­ Wednesday. CFA the world. 31­year­old, who fights for Beijing­based nied by some laughing emojis. The post Fresh from home triumphs at the Ulti­ China Top Team. was later deleted after triggering online mate Fighting Championship’s Shenzhen “Zhang’s historic breakthrough was criticism. event last August, China’s top MMA duo significant. I believe she can step it up by Zhang refused to take the bait and — reigning UFC women’s strawweight successfully defending her title.” instead posted a classy riposte, asking Share giveaway Tianhai’s champion Zhang Weili and men’s welter­ Boasting a ferocious attacking style Jedrzejczyk to divert the focus of any jabs weight fighter Li Jingliang — are primed based on a strong all­round skill set, directly to her as opposed to the deadly to return to battle in Las Vegas at UFC 248 Zhang shocked the MMA community in virus, which the champ believes is too on Saturday. stunning style in Shenzhen. The 30­year­ serious to joke about. only chance of survival Zhang (20­1), Asia’s only MMA world old ended Andrade’s title reign just 42 sec­ “To make fun of tragedy is a true sign of champion and known as “Magnum” in the onds into the first round with a barrage of one’s character,” Zhang added in her post. By SHI FUTIAN Even with fresh investment, Tianhai, which octagon, will take on Poland’s Joanna Jedr­ elbows and knees for a TKO win in just “Say what you want about me, if it makes narrowly avoided relegation last season, zejczyk (16­3) in her first title defense since her fourth UFC bout since signing with you feel stronger, but do not joke about The future of Tianjin Tianhai is hanging by could still face expulsion from the CSL. wresting the 115­pound strap off Brazil’s the promotion in August 2018. what’s happening here. I wish you good a thread after the financially stricken Chinese The club’s cash­flow woes meant it was una­ Jessica Andrade in Shenzhen. “Everything just happened so quick health until March 7. I will see you soon.” Super League club on Thursday offered to ble to sign a single player during the winter Zhang’s fight shares top billing on the and so big. I was blown away by the win. It The virus epidemic, though, has still dis­ give away all of its shares for free. transfer window, when a total of 13 players 12­bout card with Israel Adesanya’s marked a new beginning for MMA in Chi­ rupted Zhang’s preparations. If Tianhai fails to entice investors with the left the team. defense of his middleweight crown. Nige­ na and even the whole of Asia,” said To work around travel restrictions giveaway, the club says it will not be able to New owners would, therefore, face a sizable rian Adesanya (18­0) will take on Cuban Zhang, who has won via KO or TKO in between countries, she has had to relo­ compete in the new CSL season, which has outlay on player purchases to keep the club challenger Yoel Romero (13­4). half of her 20 career wins dating back to cate twice — from Beijing to Thailand and been delayed due to the novel coronavirus competitive, with PP Sports estimating that Earlier in the night, Chinese welter­ October 2014. then to Abu Dhabi — before arriving in outbreak. bill and associated costs could total around weight veteran Li (17­5), who goes by the The challenge posed by Jedrzejczyk, a Vegas in late February, about a week later Any new owners would also acquire the 700­800 million yuan. moniker “Leech”, will square off against kickboxing specialist and the division’s than her original schedule, leaving less club’s debt, the amount of which Tianhai has Generating profits at Tianhai is made all American Neil Magny (21­7) at T­Mobile former and longest reigning champ, sug­ time to make the weight. not disclosed to media. the more complicated by the club’s relatively Arena. Li is aiming to earn a top­15 rank­ gests this fight could be a tougher and Taking detours to Thailand and then “The club will no longer be able to operate low profile, its lack of big­name players and ing spot in the 170­pound division. perhaps longer battle for Zhang. South Korea, Li’s preparations for his 13th normally for the next season, it’s a ‘life or the delayed start to the new CSL season due to Both are raring to do their country “She is a tough fighter. I’ve looked up to UFC fight and third Vegas bout, were also death’ moment for the club,” read a Tianhai the coronavirus epidemic. proud, with Zhang confident Saturday’s her for a long time since she was the affected. However, the former free wres­ statement on Thursday. Things looked a lot rosier for Tianhai back event certainly won’t be the last time Chi­ champion in this division,” said Zhang. “I tler, who was born in Xinjiang Uygur “The club has arrived at this difficult deci­ in 2016, when it was known as Tianjin Quanji­ na headlines a UFC card. am thrilled to finally have the chance to autonomous region, is committed to sion in an effort to keep fighting in the Chi­ an and was challenging the dominance of the “I think me winning a UFC champion­ fight her in the octagon. She is strong in punching his way into the upper ranks of nese Super League and to be responsible to CSL’s big guns with the help of Italian World ship has made more young fighters in standing strike, perhaps my wrestling the highly competitive division. our players, coaches and fans. Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro as head coach. China believe they are getting closer to it skills could catch her off­guard.” “It’s been seven years since I joined “From today, the club will seek to transfer However, problems first began to arise at as well,” Zhang told China Daily on Thurs­ Although acknowledging Zhang’s UFC. I’ve become one of the longest­fight­ 100 percent of its shares for free. The details of the northeastern club last year when Quanji­ day during a video chat. exceptional power, Jedrzejczyk, who held ing Chinese in the organization but I feel the debt problems will be discussed face to an Group was hit by a financial scandal that “It’s just the beginning of China’s rise in the strawweight crown for over two years like my dream has just started to come face (with potential investors). The deadline is eventually resulted in a nine­year jail term for the sport. More and more Chinese fight­ before losing it to Rose Namajunas in true,” said Li. March 14. Shu Yuhui, the former chairman and founder ers will come out to challenge the world November 2017, is bullish about outlast­ Should he defeat Magny, a rangy “We sincerely hope that a company that has of Tianjin­based health products manufactur­ and they are now more eager than ever to ing the champ. 6­foot­3 veteran, Li is likely to move up the ability, and the passion and love for Chi­ er Quanjian Nature Medicine Technology do so,” added the 30­year­old Hebei “She’s training really, really hard. But the divisional ladder and close on a title nese soccer can take over and continue the Development. native, who fights out of the Beijing­based she hasn’t faced someone like me yet,” the shot against Nigeria­born American glorious history of the club.” It remains to be seen if Tianhai can conjure Black Tiger Club but has prepared for Sat­ 32­year­old told mmafighting.com on Kamaru Usman. The statement valued the club’s assets at an unlikely escape from its crisis. Head coach urday’s fight at the UFC Performance Monday. “Weili is very strong and power­ “I’ve studied Magny’s style and hit with between 648 million and 771 million yuan Li Weifeng, for one, is hopeful all is not lost. Institute in Las Vegas. ful. But we have a perfect plan. She a sparring partner of his size for quite a ($93 million to $111 million). According to PP “Somebody wants to see us die, but we will Li, China’s most successful UFC fighter doesn’t know what’s coming.” long time. I will keep him within my Sports, potential investors would require survive and thrive in this situation!” Li boldly with nine wins since his debut in May Jedrzejczyk, who holds UFC’s most range and attack him with quick combi­ about one billion yuan to complete a takeover. declared this week. 2014, said having two Chinese on the card wins in the strawweight division with 10 nations in and out,” said Li.