Two champions. Two reigns for each. And for Weili Zhang, a chance to become a two-division champ at UFC 322, where the former strawweight Queen moved up in weight to challenge Valentina Shevchenko.
“Bullet” had long been the most dominant female flyweight on the planet, but with Zhang having cleared out all the big names at 115lbs, the long-brewing super-fight finally arrived in the co-main event of UFC 322 in New York City.
Noticeable early in the fight was how light and active on her feet Weili Zhang was. Her speed and in-and-out movement were on full display, catching champ Shevchenko with a punch early. Shevchenko would fire a Superman punch about a minute in, but was playing a more patient game, staying outside and using her length.
When Zhang closed the distance, Shevchenko welcomed her with a knee, sending the pair to the mat with the champ on top. Shevchenko worked to improve her position, but Zhang was able to scramble back up. That led to Shevchenko again working from the outside, and as Zhang came in, she was clipped with a spinning backfist. A clinch led to Shevchenko reversing, and landing a takedown, straight into side control. Zhang would finish the round on her back.
After losing the opening frame, Weili Zhang was still bouncing on her feet early in the second. Under a minute in, a clinch led to Shevchenko getting the fight down off a throw. In half guard, she passed to side control briefly. Zhang got half guard back, but not for long. Back to side control for the champ, who was threatening to lock up a crucifix. Zhang avoided that, just barely, but Shevchenko kept chasing it. Zhang would finally catch a leg with her own, getting Shevchenko back in half guard. A moment later, full guard. Small victories for Zhang, who was being dominated otherwise.
Between the second and third round, Zhang’s corner instructed her to keep the fight on the feet. She fired some big right hands early, but hit air. Shevchenko’s counter did land. A spinning kick landed, a glancing blow, for the champ. Through three minutes, Zhang had done as her corner asked, keeping the fight standing. Perhaps still trailing a bit on the feet, but she was still on the feet, until Shevchenko finally got her in a clinch and threw her down. Then it was Shevchenko in half guard, on top, showing she was simply too powerful on top for Zhang to overcome. Shevchenko fired off some ground n’ pound to finish the stanza, and headed into the championship rounds with a comfortable lead.
With Valentina Shevchenko almost certainly up 30-27, Weili Zhang almost certainly needed a finish in the final ten minutes. She opened round four eating a few kicks from the champ, that had a noticeable effect after impact. Another kick to the body sent Zhang staggering back. In a Thai clinch, Shevchenko ripped a knee to the body. Another kick to the body, a front kick this time, and again, Zhang stumbled back. The challenger would land a kick of her own, then ate a right hand for her troubles.
The first takedown of round four arrived with just over a minute on the clock. Shevchenko caught a kick, dumped Zhang, and found herself in half guard. Zhang was stuck on her back until the round closed out, down to just five minutes to find a way to flip the script.
Zhang’s corner called for a takedown, a submission, or just a finish between rounds. Considering the Chinese challenger had been losing the grappling exchanges, how viable that request was certainly seemed up for debate. Shevchenko was still ripping kicks to the body. And two minutes in, she landed a takedown that simply had to be demoralizing for Weili.
After 25 minutes, there was little more to say: Valentina Shevchenko had looked thoroughly dominant, and Zhang never seemed like she was truly in the fight.
Official Result: Valentina Shevchenko def. Weili Zhang by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
