Highlights

Chinese boxer sparks UFC craze

By Guan Xiaomeng (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-02-28 11:14

Chinese boxer Zhang Tiequan (R) fights with Reinhardt from Brazil at the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) in Acer Arena in Sydney, February 27, 2011. [Photo/titan24.com]

A swift 48-second bout won by Chinese kick-boxer Zhang Tiequan at the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) has prompted a craze in the sport in China.

UFC rookie Zhang beat Reinhardt from Brazil in the first round, held at the world's top mixed martial arts arena in Acer Arena in Sydney on Sunday, with a showman-like guillotine drop which left Reinhardt suffocating.

Reinhardt, 41, is a black belt with 20 recorded professional wins. Zhang, 31, has only one victory and defeat at international level at the WEC (World Extreme Cage fighting), a light class world combat tournament.

Zhang, from the Inner Mongolia is known as the Mongolian Wolf on the Internet, started training after working as a construction worker who used to sneak training sessions at the site he was working on.

The UFC has honored Chinese-originated international martial art super star Bruce Lee as one of its forefathers, but the league has little market and popularity in China.

An American named Allen, Zhang's agent in the league, said UFC must further explore China, "We owe the conceptions to China and China is the birthplace of martial arts. UFC can't do without China."

Yahoo sports dubbed Zhang as China's Yao Ming in combat sports who may create a buzz in the most populated country fuelling the sport's expansion.