Weili Zhang News

Cole Shelton - November 11, 2025

Zhang Weili expects to have a clear advantage when she moves up in weight to challenge Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 322. Weili vacated her strawweight title to move up to flyweight to face Shevchenko in the co-main event of the pay-per-view card on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Heading into the bout, Weili is a small underdog, but she has confidence she will be able to get her hand raised due to how she fights.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 7, 2025

Valentina Shevchenko won’t allow herself to get caught up in the mystique of Zhang Weili ahead of UFC 322. Shevchenko is scheduled to put her UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship on the line against Weili, who vacated the women’s strawweight gold. The super fight will be held inside the famous Madison Square Garden arena in New York City on Nov. 15.

Curtis Calhoun - October 20, 2025

UFC strawweight star Mackenzie Dern saluted the former strawweight titleholder ahead of her vacant title fight at UFC 321. After Zhang Weili vacated the UFC strawweight title for a move to flyweight, top strawweight contenders Mackenzie Dern and Virna Jandiroba got the call from matchmakers that they’ll compete for the vacant title at UFC 321. It’ll be the first title shot for Dern and Jandiroba; after both contenders went through a long journey to reach the top of the division.

Dylan Bowker - September 23, 2025

Valentina Shevchenko and Weili Zhang will engage in one of the most anticipated fights of the last few years this November. Before their Madison Square Garden clash at UFC 322, Loma Lookboonmee has offered up her thoughts on that massive matchup. Loma Lookboonmee will clash with Alexia Thainara at UFC Fight Night: Perth on September 27th in a strawweight bout. Lookboonmee appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to touch on the cross-divisional mega fight that lies ahead between Zhang and ‘Bullet.’

Harry Kettle - May 11, 2025

UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko isn’t 100% sure what her next move is after winning at UFC 315. In the co-main event of UFC 315, Valentina Shevchenko defended her territory. She was able to defeat Manon Fiorot and successfully defend her UFC women’s flyweight championship, even dropping her opponent in the process. While it was a close fight, the majority of pundits and fans scored it in favor of Shevchenko, who was able to prove that she’s far from done at the elite level.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - April 23, 2025

One top contender isn’t sold on Zhang Weili having success at flyweight. Weili has been mostly dominant in the UFC strawweight division. Her two losses to Rose Namajunas are the only defeats Weili has suffered during her UFC run. She has beaten the likes of Joanna Jedrzejczyk twice, Jessica Andrade, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez.

Josh Evanoff - February 28, 2025

UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko is down for a superfight against Zhang Weili. ‘Bullet’ recently signed a deal to return to the octagon in May at UFC 315. Returning for the first time since dominating Alexa Grasso in their trilogy bout last year, Valentina Shevchenko will meet the rising Manon Fiorot. ‘The Beast’ will enter her first title fight riding a 12-fight winning streak, last beating Erin Blanchfield in March.

Cole Shelton - February 11, 2025

Tatiana Suarez issued a statement after her UFC 312 loss to Weili Zhang. Suarez entered the fight as the favorite but was dominated in all five rounds to suffer her first career loss. Days after the loss to Zhang, Suarez took to Instagram to release a statement on the defeat.

Cole Shelton - February 10, 2025

The UFC was in Sydney, Australia on Saturday for a UFC 312 card that saw two titles on the line. In the main event, Dricus Du Plessis was rematching Sean Strickland for the middleweight title. The co-main event saw Weili Zhang defending her strawweight title against Tatiana Suarez.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 9, 2025

If Zhang Weili and Valentina Shevchenko end up sharing the Octagon, will it be their swan songs? Weili was in action this past Saturday, defending her strawweight gold against Tatiana Suarez in the co-main event of UFC 312. Zhang entered the fight as a slight underdog, but she put forth a dominant performance from the beginning of the second round until the final horn. She scored the unanimous decision victory after five rounds of action.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 9, 2025

UFC CEO Dana White has left the door open for a potential super fight between Zhang Weili and Valentina Shevchenko. Weili reminded the MMA world just how elite she is this past Saturday. She put the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship at stake against Tatiana Suarez. Despite her credentials, Weili was the betting underdog going into the UFC 312 co-main event. While Weili was taken down in round one, she took over beginning in the second stanza. Her takedown defense was superb, as well as her ability to reverse position on the ground. Weili’s standup skills also gave Suarez plenty to think about.

Chris Taylor - February 8, 2025

Tonight’s UFC 312 event was co-headlined by a women’s strawweight title fight between Weili Zhang and Tatiana Suarez. Zhang (26-3 MMA) was looking to earn her third consecutive title defense when she made the walk to the Octagon this evening in Australia. ‘Magnum’ was most previously seen in action at last April’s historic UFC 300 event, where she earned a unanimous decision victory over Yan Xiaonan.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 7, 2025

The UFC 312 weigh-ins have wrapped up, and fans will be happy to know that the marquee bouts have been made official. Of course, that includes the UFC middleweight title rematch between 185-pound champion Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland. In their first meeting back in early 2024, du Plessis took the gold from Strickland via split decision. Can Strickland regain the middleweight prize?

Cole Shelton - February 6, 2025

In the co-main event of UFC 312, the women’s strawweight title is up for grabs as Weili Zhang defends his belt against Tatiana Suarez. Heading into the fight, Zhang is -113 while the challenger is also -113 as the title fight is a pick’em on FanDuel. Ahead of the scrap, BJPENN.com reached out to several pro-fighters to get their predictions for the strawweight title fight. The pros believe Suarez is destined to be a champ and will defeat Zhang as they think her wrestling and strength will be too much for the strawweight queen.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 6, 2025

One high-level UFC contender believes Tatiana Suarez will dominate Zhang Weili in their title fight. Suarez will challenge Weili for the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship this Saturday. The two will collide inside the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia in the co-main event of UFC 312. Weili will be looking for her third successful title defense in her second run with the 115-pound gold. This will be Suarez’s first crack at UFC hardware.

Harry Kettle - February 5, 2025

UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili backs herself to find success against Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312. On Saturday night, Zhang Weili will defend her strawweight gold against Tatiana Suarez. In the eyes of many, this is one of the toughest tests available to the champion. Suarez has spent her entire career impressing the masses, and many felt as if it was only a matter of time before she fought for a championship.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - September 6, 2024

Alexa Grasso has revealed who would be her dream opponent inside the Octagon. Grasso is the reigning UFC women’s flyweight titleholder. She will be putting her gold at stake against Valentina Shevchenko in a trilogy fight. The two will collide inside the Sphere in Las Vegas on September 14th.

Harry Kettle - April 30, 2024

UFC prospect Tatiana Suarez has her eyes firmly set on a future strawweight title showdown against Zhang Weili. For so long now, Tatiana Suarez has been seen as a top contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She’s unbeaten, she’s dominant, and she has a relentless style. Alas, as a result of her many years away from mixed martial arts, she has yet to earn an opportunity at the crown.