Zhang Tie Quan - Chinese Fighter in MMA

[Scott Larson]

Zhang Tie Quan will be making his WEC debut at WEC 51: Aldo vs Gamburyan.

Here is his bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Tie_Quan

Good to see a fighter with a CMA background in a high profile US MMA promotion.

[Frost]

Zhang Tie Quan will be making his WEC debut at WEC 51: Aldo vs Gamburyan.

Here is his bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Tie_Quan

Good to see a fighter with a CMA background in a high profile US MMA promotion.

Not being an as$ but what of his styles do you consider CMA?

as far as i can see he has not studied what most people would call a CMA style, choyleefut, wing chun hung gar etc, but spent his life in the sports realm, with wrestling BJJ and sansau

He even lists his main styles as sanda and BJJ most of his wins come from his BJJ back ground

[Scott Larson]

Why wouldn't sanda be considered a Chinese style?

[Three Harmonies]

Sanda is not a "style" per se, but rather a sport with a certain rule set. A TKD guy could fight Sanda.

Zhang is mongolian anyways, so I doubt he is going to be doing much of anything Chinese.

JAB

[Scott Larson]

I guess I was just looking at it from a general perspective. I know he's not doing a classical Chinese martial art, but if he does well, I think people in the US will consider Chinese style methods to have merit.

I meant Chinese martial arts in a broad sense.

Also, I am curious to find out what type of wrestling he trained in.

[Lucas]

for the inner mongolian wrestling championship, do we know if that is style specific, in that only people trained in classic mongolian wrestling can enter? or can any wrestler enter that competition.

also where does his sanda striking background come from? at what academy did he train for his sanda striking?

he has a nice record.

[Three Harmonies]

Scott
People in the US will consider CMA valid when the overwhelming majority of CMA practitioners are able, and willing, to show their hand to hand methods; even if just sparring.
The community as a whole has to be the rule, not the exception.
I wish Zhang luck regardless of his background! Good to see some Chinese in serious MMA!

Cheers for sharing,
JAB

[Scott Larson]

I agree, 3Harms.

Hopefully this will inspire the CMA community to do so.

[Frost]

the only thing that will inspire the CMA community is if TCMA trained guys stop holding up people who have no real background in CMA as torch bearers simply because of their ethnicity and enter the cage themselves.

[Three Harmonies]

QFT Frost!

[Scott Larson]

the only thing that will inspire the CMA community is if TCMA trained guys stop holding up people who have no real background in CMA as torch bearers simply because of their ethnicity and enter the cage themselves.

Has this happened before?

[omarthefish]

I guess I was just looking at it from a general perspective. I know he's not doing a classical Chinese martial art, but if he does well, I think people in the US will consider Chinese style methods to have merit.

I meant Chinese martial arts in a broad sense.

Also, I am curious to find out what type of wrestling he trained in.

If he's Mongolian with a "Mongolian Wrestling" background then obviously he's trained in Shuai Jiao. Same for Sanda. Most Sanda competitors train in pretty classical Shuai Jiao and the Mongolians in particular are famous for it. That's what "Mongolian Wrestling" is. It's a particular style of Shuai Jiao so I'd expect this guy to have some pretty decent throws.

Edit: Just did some digging.
As expected, he started out in Shuai Jiao in the mid 90's and then in 2005 started BJJ in Beijing.

[GeneChing]

More on Zhang Tiequan

UFC announces Asia expansion, signs China fighter
(AP) – 1 day ago

BEIJING — The Ultimate Fighting Championship says it's expanding its brand to Asia and has signed a fighter from China as part of the plans to establish its presence in the world's most populous region.

The company announced Sunday that former NBA Asia executive Mark Fischer will head the UFC's new regional office.

The UFC says it has signed a fighter from China's Inner Mongolia region as part of its strategy for attracting new fans in Asia. Tiequan Zhang is expected to debut next month as a lightweight in World Extreme Cagefighting, a sister organization of UFC that features smaller fighters.

Fischer said UFC's Asia expansion is in its early stages but the company is focusing on China as a long-term market.

[GeneChing]

Zhang made USA Today.

Tonight's fight

Event - WEC: ALDO vs. GAMBURYAN
Date: Sep-30-2010 9:00 PM ET
Event Type: Versus - Live Event
Location: 1STBANK Center (formerly Odeum Colorado), CO

One of the sport’s pound-for-pound elite returns this fall to defend his title against one of the division’s most dangerous fighters. Featherweight champion Jose Aldo, universally recognized as the number one ranked lighter weight fighter in MMA, makes the second defense of his crown against judo ace Manny Gamburyan when World Extreme Cagefighting® invades the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo. on Thursday, Sept. 30.

In addition to the featherweight title fight, Denver native Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will meet former lightweight champion Jamie Varner in a long-awaited grudge match. Plus, former bantamweight champion Miguel Angel Torres returns to the cage to take on the red-hot Charlie Valencia.

Tickets for WEC: Aldo vs. Gamburyan go on sale Saturday, July 31 at 10 a.m. MT and will be priced at $185, $135, $75, and $40. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to WEC newsletter subscribers on Friday, July 30 starting at 10 a.m. MT. To access this presale, users must register for the WEC newsletter through wec.tv. Tickets will be available online at www.TicketHorse.com or by phone at 866.461.6556.

Tiequan Zhang Vs. Pablo Garza

Name: Tiequan Zhang
Height: 5' 8" (173 cm)
Weight: 155 (70 kg)
Record: 16-0-0

Name: Pablo Garza
Height: 6' 1" (185 cm)
Weight: 145 (66 kg)
Record: 9-0-0

May not be broadcast.

Tiequan Zhang "The Mongolian Wolf"

Age: 25
Height: 5' 8" (173 cm)
Weight: 155 lbs. (70 kg)
Overall MMA Record (W-L-D): 16-0-0

Training: Normally 10am-12pm group training and sparring, 3pm-5pm running for cardio and weights; every weekend mountain running.

Thoughts on opponent, Jason Reinhardt?
Only the best fighters can fight in WEC and UFC. I think he is a very strong wrestler and black belt, but I have my advantages as well.

When and why did you start training for fighting?
I started training Sanda at 1999, because I always like new challenges and to conquer. It's exciting.

What ranks and titles have you held?
URCC middleweight champion, UMAC welterweight champion, Legend FC "Submission of the Night" honor, Undefeated.

Do you have any heroes? Genghis Khan

What is your favorite technique? Punches

What, other than WINNING, are you using for motivation for the fight? To be lightweight champion!

[GeneChing]

Any video anywhere?

Things We Learned: WEC 51
October 2, 2010 | Author: E. Spencer Kyte
...
Tie Quan Zhang made his WEC debut a winning one on Thursday night, submitting Pablo Garza in the first round to remain unbeaten and hand the former TUF candidate his first professional loss.