UFC champion Weili Zhang is looking to add NBA champion coach Joe Mazzulla to her team. A Celtics fan, Weili admires Mazzulla’s training methods with the Boston Celtics. Mazzulla recently led the Celtics to a 4-1 NBA Finals victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Highly popular in China and respected worldwide for her fighting style and impressive record, Weili has been on a winning streak since her UFC debut in 2018, with her only losses coming to Rose Namajunas (twice). She rebounded with victories over Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Carla Esparza, Amanda Lemos, and Yan Xiaonan.
Mazzulla, at 35, became the youngest head coach to win the NBA Finals in over 50 years, guiding the Celtics to their victory over the Mavericks on June 17.
### Weili Wants Mazzulla
UFC champion Weili Zhang expressed her desire to have NBA champion coach Joe Mazzulla in her corner. This week, she mentioned that she’d welcome Mazzulla’s support during her fights. Weili, a Celtics fan, developed an admiration for Mazzulla after observing his training methods when the Celtics used the UFC’s Performance Institute as a base while training in Las Vegas.
“I would see him training at the [P.I.] at six in the morning,” Weili told Sports Illustrated. “Right away, I was impressed at how diligent and professional he was.”
“Coach Mazzulla is a champion,” she added. “He is welcome to come in my corner during a fight.”
CBS Sports noted earlier this month that Mazzulla, a jiu jitsu practitioner and MMA fan, often incorporates UFC clips into his coaching lessons. He showed his team footage of Alex Pereira’s win over Jamahal Hill, emphasizing the resilience and strategic thinking required in both sports.
“The closer you are to beating someone,” Mazzulla told reporters, “the closer you are to getting your ass kicked.”
### Basketball and MMA Are Similar, Weili Said
Weili Zhang pointed out the similarities between basketball and MMA, noting how both sports require endurance and a calm demeanor. She admires Mazzulla’s coaching style, which emphasizes patience and unity.
“The NBA is very popular in China,” Weili said. “I am a Celtics fan and I watch all the Celtics games. I admire the way he coaches. His approach is a patient one. You can see the similarities between basketball and MMA in the way he coaches. Both require endurance. You need to keep calm.”
“His philosophy brought his team together. They are very united. That separates them from other teams.”
Weili, who last fought in the UFC 300 co-main event against Yan Xiaonan, is currently linked with No.1-ranked strawweight contender Tatiana Suarez. It is unclear if Mazzulla’s and Weili’s schedules will align to allow him to corner her next fight. However, if the fight is scheduled before October, when the NBA preseason begins, it might be possible for Mazzulla to join her.
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