Wang Cong’s Joker Persona at Weigh-in Confounds Opponent

Chinese fighter Wang Cong appeared at the weigh-in for her Saturday bout against Gabriella Fernandes wearing face paint styled after the comic book character the Joker, an act that visibly confused her Brazilian opponent. The 32-year-old Cong further emulated the DC Comics supervillain by tossing an imaginary coin and then miming shooting a gun, all prior to her scheduled UFC Fight Night contest in Macau, China. Fernandes, aged 31, reacted with a bewildered expression, subsequently shrugging her shoulders and directly questioning Cong with “what?”. Known by the nickname ‘The Joker’, Cong has commenced her UFC career impressively, achieving two first-round finishes. This follows an undefeated start to her professional career, having won her initial six fights. Her opponent, fellow flyweight Fernandes, aims to capitalize on her June victory against Carli Judice, particularly after experiencing losses in her initial two fights within the promotion. On the undercard, English flyweight Lone’er Kavanagh, 25, is set to make his UFC debut against Peru’s Jose Ochoa. Kavanagh, who earned his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series in August, boasts an unbeaten record of seven fights, including five finishes. Headlining the event is a bantamweight contest between Brazil’s Deiveson Figueiredo and Russia’s Petr Yan.