Zhang Weili is not the UFC strawweight champion.
In a blockbuster bit of news introduced by Dana White on Thursday, Zhang has formally vacated her 115-pound title and is transferring as much as problem reigning flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko. The highest P4P feminine fighters on this planet will sq. off contained in the world’s most well-known area, Madison Sq. Backyard, at UFC 322 on Saturday, November 15.
After handily defeating Tatiana Suarez in February, Zhang expressed curiosity in transferring up, believing she’d completed every little thing she got down to within the strawweight division. Now, ‘Magnum’ will get her want when she co-main occasions one of many largest struggle playing cards of the 12 months in opposition to one of many biggest feminine fighters the game has ever seen.
Shevchenko goes into the bout coming off a stellar displaying in opposition to Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 in Might. It was her first protection since kickstarting her second reign as flyweight champion. ‘Bullet’ reclaimed the crown late final 12 months, defeating Alexa Grasso in a trilogy bout at Sphere in Las Vegas.
White Broadcasts struggle to crown new strawweight champion
As for the way forward for the strawweight title, followers received’t have to attend lengthy to see a brand new champion rise.
White additionally revealed that on October 25, Mackenzie Dern will face top-ranked contender Virna Jandiroba at UFC 321, the winner leaving as the brand new face of the 115-pound division.
Dern vs. Jandiroba will function a rematch of the pair’s December 2022 conflict at UFC 256. On that night time, Dern got here out on high through unanimous determination. Since then, Jandiroba has gone 6-1 contained in the Octagon, together with assertion victories over Amanda Lemos and Yan Xiaonan.
Dern goes into the bout having received two of her final three, defeating Crazy Godinez and most lately, Amanda Ribas.
