Zhang Tie Quan - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Zhang Tiequan, or Zhang Tie Quan , often anglicised to Tiequan Zhang, is a Chinese

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

mixed martial artist

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

, who fights as a featherweight

Featherweight (MMA)

The featherweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Pancrase's featherweight division, which groups competitors within 136 to 145 lb...

. He has spent most of his career fighting in the Art of War Fighting Championship

Art of War Fighting Championship

The Art of War Fighting Championship is the primary Chinese professional mixed martial arts promotion based in Beijing, China. The Chinese title "英雄榜" literally translated means "Gathering of Heroes." Art of War FC has no relation to the defunct US MMA promotion Art of War Undisputed Arena...

in his native China, but in 2010, he joined World Extreme Cagefighting

World Extreme Cagefighting

World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...

in the United States. The WEC then merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...

, where he currently competes.

He is an ethnic Mongolian and is nicknamed "The Mongolian Wolf".

Early career

Zhang Tiequan began training in martial arts

Martial arts

Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

as a child and won the Inner Mongolia

Inner Mongolia

Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...

n Wrestling

Wrestling

Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...

Championships at the age of 16. After this, he was recruited to fight at one of China's top Sanshou academies. He was also China's first-ever brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...

.

When the Art of War Fighting Championship

Art of War Fighting Championship

, China's largest mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts

organization, was founded in 2005, the company's founder Andy Pi invited a number of fighters from Zhang's academy to fight there. Zhang then took up mixed martial arts and won his first eleven fights, over a five-year period, all by knockout or submission.

World Extreme Cagefighting

In August 2010, Zhang joined World Extreme Cagefighting

World Extreme Cagefighting

, one of the largest mixed martial arts organizations in North America. He was expected to make his WEC debut against Alex Karalexis

Alex Karalexis

Alex Karalexis is an American mixed martial artist of Greek descent. He has a professional record of 10 wins and 6 losses...

at WEC 51: Aldo vs. Gamburyan
WEC 51
WEC 51: Aldo vs. Gamburyan was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting that took place on September 30, 2010 at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The event was the first that the WEC hosted in Colorado.-Background:...

in September 2010. However, Karalexis was forced from the bout with an injury and replaced by promotional newcomer Jason Reinhardt

Jason Reinhardt

Jason Reinhardt is an American mixed martial artist. A professional MMA competitor since 2000, Reinhardt fought in regional promotions before signing with Zuffa in 2007...

. Reinhardt was then also forced from the card after failing a prefight eye exam and replaced by Pablo Garza

Pablo Garza (fighter)

Pablo Garza is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Featherweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, Garza mostly competed in his regional circuit before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to appear on The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs....

. Zhang won the fight via submission in the first round.

Zhang then fought Danny Downes

Danny Downes

-Mixed martial arts career:Since turning professional in 2007, Downes has competed for several smaller organizations, while compiling an undefeated record and obtaining wins in promotions such as King of the Cage, with all of his fights taking place in his native Wisconsin...

on December 16, 2010 at WEC 53: Henderson vs Pettis
WEC 53
WEC 53: Henderson vs. Pettis was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting that took place on December 16, 2010 at Jobing.com Arena in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. The event was the first time that Zuffa has hosted an event in Arizona...

, the WEC's last ever event before merging with the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...

, and saw himself for the first time in the third round and tired as he tasted defeat for the first time as he lost via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28).

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On October 28, 2010, World Extreme Cagefighting

World Extreme Cagefighting

merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...

. As part of the merger, all WEC fighters were transferred to the UFC.

For his UFC debut, Zhang dropped down to featherweight

Featherweight (MMA)

The featherweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Pancrase's featherweight division, which groups competitors within 136 to 145 lb...

and faced Jason Reinhardt

Jason Reinhardt

Jason Reinhardt is an American mixed martial artist. A professional MMA competitor since 2000, Reinhardt fought in regional promotions before signing with Zuffa in 2007...

on February 27, 2011 at UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch
UFC 127
UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Sunday, 27 February 2011 at Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. Due to the time zone difference it aired live on Saturday, 26 February in North America...

. Zhang showed accurate counters in the first few moments of the fight leading to a quick guillotine from standing position before dropping to the mat for a victory over Reinhardt via submission due to a guillotine choke just 48 seconds into the first round.

Zhang fought Darren Elkins

Darren Elkins

Darren Elkins is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he fights in the featherweight division.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...

on October 8, 2011 at UFC 136

UFC 136

UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 8, 2011, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The event coincided with a two day UFC Fan Expo held at the George R...

, and lost via unanimous decision. Zhang repeatedly went for unsuccessful guillotine chokes which left him on his back where he was unable to scramble and received punches and elbows for the majority of the bout.

Zhang is expected to face Leonard Garcia

Leonard Garcia

Leonard Garcia is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes in the featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He previously fought for the UFC in the lightweight division before moving down to the featherweight division in the World Extreme Cagefighting...

on February 26, 2012 at UFC 144

UFC 144

UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson is an upcoming mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The event is expected to take place on February 26, 2012 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan....

Mixed martial arts record

Darren Elkins

Darren Elkins is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he fights in the featherweight division.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:...

| Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 136

UFC 136

Houston, Texas

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...

Jason Reinhardt

Jason Reinhardt is an American mixed martial artist. A professional MMA competitor since 2000, Reinhardt fought in regional promotions before signing with Zuffa in 2007...

| Submission (guillotine choke)
| UFC 127

UFC 127

UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Sunday, 27 February 2011 at Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. Due to the time zone difference it aired live on Saturday, 26 February in North America...

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

Danny Downes

| Decision (unanimous)
| WEC 53

WEC 53

WEC 53: Henderson vs. Pettis was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting that took place on December 16, 2010 at Jobing.com Arena in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. The event was the first time that Zuffa has hosted an event in Arizona...

Glendale, Arizona

Glendale is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, located about nine miles northwest from Downtown Phoenix. According to 2010 Census Bureau, the population of the city is 226,721....

, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–0
| Pablo Garza

Pablo Garza (fighter)

| Submission (guillotine choke)
| WEC 51

WEC 51

WEC 51: Aldo vs. Gamburyan was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting that took place on September 30, 2010 at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado. The event was the first that the WEC hosted in Colorado.-Background:...

Broomfield, Colorado

The City and County of Broomfield is a prominent suburb and tier of the Denver metropolitan area in the State of Colorado of the United States. Broomfield has a consolidated city and county government which operates under Article XX, Sections 10-13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. The...

Kowloon Bay

Kowloon Bay is a bay located at the east of the Kowloon Peninsula and north of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. It is the eastern portion of Victoria Harbour, between Hung Hom and Lei Yue Mun...

Pasay City

The City of Pasay is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the north by the country's capital, Manila, to the northeast by Makati City, to the east by Taguig City, and Parañaque City to the south.Pasay City was one of the original four...

Beijing

Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

Guangzhou

Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...

Makati City

The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia...

Beijing

Beijing

Beijing

Beijing

Beijing

Beijing

Quezon City

Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...

Beijing

, China
|

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.