A substantial challenge for direct utilization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as lithium-ion battery anodes is to maintain the rigid MOF structure during lithiation/delithiation cycles. In this work, we developed a flexible, wavy layered nickel-based MOF (C20H24Cl2N8Ni, designated as Ni-Me(4)bpz) by a solvo-thermal approach of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethy1-4,4'-bipyrazole (H(2)Me(4)bpz) with nickel(11) chloride hexahydrate. The obtained MOF materials (Ni-Me(4)bpz) with metal azolate coordination mode provide 2-dimensional layered structure for Li+. intercalation/extraction, and the H(2)Me(4)bpz ligands allow for flexible rotation feature and structural stability. Lithium-ion battery anodes made of the Ni-Me(4)bpz material demonstrate excellent specific capacity and cycling performance, and the crystal structure is well preserved after the electrochemical tests, suggesting the potential of developing flexible layered MOFs for efficient and stable electrochemical storage. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.