UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko might be looking at a massive champ vs champ bout next after turning back Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 on Saturday night.
Fans have been hoping to see Shevchenko take on the strawweight champion Weili Zhang for a while now. Following the bout Weili sent the champion a message.
Weili Zhang calls a fight with Bullet Shevchenko, ‘destiny’ #UFC315 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/5glDdOVT7r
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) May 11, 2025
“Congratulations to the champion. Everything has lined up perfectly, it’s destiny,” Weili wrote on Instagram.
Shevchenko didn’t disagree. In terms of a big fight it may be the biggest one of Shevchenko’s career.
“Everyone was saying Weili or Natalia (Silva),” Shevchenko told reporters including Cageside Press at her post-fight scrum.
“Maybe fans can play some role in that.”
At this point in her career Shevchenko has earned the luxury of picking fights. A bout against Weili would mean a lot more to her legacy than taking on another contender.
“Probably, yes. Considering all the title defense that I already have in flyweight, but it’s kind of like for me now, after the fight. You’ve got a victory, your belt is with you, you have this adrenaline running,” she told Cageside Press.
“I mean about the timing. It’s very important to have proper recovery and get into next training camp with full power. It’s mostly about time-wise.”
She made it clear she wasn’t against taking the fight. It’s about timing for her.
With the win over Fiorot the current champion scored her 10th UFC title fight victory. She joined the likes of legends such as Jon Jones, Georges St. Pierre, Demetrious Johnson, Anderson Silva and Amanda Nunes.
“I’m still going. I’m not stopping. It’s just the beginning,” she said with a laugh.
Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Valentine Shevchenko above.
