Kyte: If there were one thing that was going to significantly impact how this fight plays out — that swings it in one direction or the other — what would it be?
Chartier: I think it’s going to be the physicality; both these women are dominant, they’re physically strong, so is Weili going to be able to overpower Lemos and use her wrestling or is Lemos going to be too strong to get taken down?
I think the physicality is the x-factor. Who is going to be the bigger bully? Because they’re both bullies. Who is going to show they’re the stronger one in this fight and will be able to dominate physically? I’m interested to see who is going to be the bully.
Kyte: I think it’s going to be the conditioning.
As much as Zhang doesn’t necessarily go five rounds very often, she’s prepared for it for the last six fights, has done it a couple times, including an absolute classic with (Joanna) Jedrzejczyk the first time, whereas Lemos was tiring in the fight with Angela Hill that was three rounds, and now you’re going against Zhang.
To me, that championship fight experience is going to be a big factor, I think.
View Their Athlete Profiles: Zhang Weili | Amanda Lemos
Chartier: Yeah, when you know that you can go hard in the first two rounds and then still go hard in the fourth and fifth — when you have that in your back pocket, it does make a big difference in terms of pacing and confidence.
Kyte: To me it’s even stuff like, sure, Lemos has headlined before, but she’s never been in this position, on a pay-per-view before. This is big stakes. They sent a camera crew down to follow her around. There is going to be more focus and attention on her this week than has ever been on her in her UFC career, and everybody reacts differently to that stuff.
Embedded is following you around, and they’ve never followed her around before; that can be weird.
Chartier: And obviously Weili has done that a bunch.
