Zhang Weili is no longer the UFC strawweight champion, but she’s looking to add another title.
UFC CEO Dana White announced on Thursday night that Zhang is vacating the 115-pound title, and is moving up to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight title in the co-main event of UFC 322, which takes place Nov. 15 at Madison Square Garden. The card is headlined by a welterweight title fight between Jack Della Maddalena and former lightweight champ Islam Makhachev.
Prior to her decision
win against Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312, Weili told MMA Fighting that she was hopeful it would be her final fight in the division. She gets her wish, and ends her strawweight run as a two-time champion, and completed her second title reign with a total of three title defenses — including dominant decision wins over Amanda Lemos at UFC 292 in August 2023, and Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300 in April 2024.
Shevchenko regained the flyweight title with a dominant decision win over Alexa Grasso in their third meeting at UFC 306 this past September. “Bullet” successfully defended her title with a decision win against Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 in May.
White also announced that former welterweight champ Leon Edwards is set to return on the card, and looking to snap a two-fight losing streak, as he takes on Carlos Prates in a pivotal divisional clash.
