Following his triumph at UFC 312, the titleholder encounters a significant challenge or demand.
Weili Zhang's victorious performance against Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312 has left her pondering her next move. The Chinese sensation wanted to chat with UFC President Dana White following the event, and their conversation revealed a potential dilemma.
According to White, the plan was likely to grant Zhang's wish to step up to the flyweight division, gunning for future Hall of Famer Valentina Shevchenko in a blockbuster showdown. However, there seems to be a catch. The UFC doesn't want Zhang to move up to flyweight and then immediately return to strawweight.
In a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Zhang revealed this scenario, making perfect sense in light of her ambitions to ace the next level and shed the grueling weight cut for the 115-pound division.
If Zhang manages a successful transition to 125 pounds and emerges victorious against Shevchenko, she'd become only the second woman in UFC history to etch her name in the two-division champ's roll. Moreover, a rare opportunity to hold both titles simultaneously would be up for grabs.
However, the UFC has a solid reason to protect against a champion controlling two weight classes in this manner. If Zhang chooses to move up to flyweight, it'd be challenging to safely return to the strawweight division and reignite her title dominance. After all, her nationwide fame and significant value in the UFC's scene prohibit settling for anything less than peak performance.
Zhang is slowly breaking down the language barrier and winning over the American public with her undeniable charm. Meanwhile, contender Manon Fiorot eagerly waits in the wings for her shot at the title.
Given the situation, an ideal outcome would involve Zhang preparing meticulously for the flyweight division and challenging the winner of Shevchenko-Fiorot. This sequence could potentially land in late 2025. But how will this unfold? Time will soon tell.
Moving on to some exciting UFC news, Saturday promises a can't-miss event from the Apex in Las Vegas. Jared Cannonier aims to reinforce his position in the UFC's middleweight rankings, butting heads with surging but unranked Gregory Rodrigues in the UFC Vegas 104 main event.
Several promising young up-and-comers like Jose Delgado and Elijah Smith are also a part of the card. Check out this complete list:
UFC Vegas 104 - Fight Card
- No. 7 - Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues – Middleweight (185 lbs)
- No. 12 - Calvin Kattar vs. Youssef Zalal – Featherweight (145 lbs)
- Ismael Bonfim vs. Nazim Sadykhov – Lightweight (155 lbs)
- Jose Delgado vs. Connor Matthews – Featherweight (145 lbs)
- Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Dylan Budka – Middleweight (185 lbs)
- Rodolfo Vieira vs. Andre Petroski – Middleweight (185 lbs)
- No. 12 - Julia Avila vs. No. 13 - Jacqueline Cavalcanti – Bantamweight (135 lbs)
- Vince Morales vs. Elijah Smith – Bantamweight (135 lbs)
- Valter Walker vs. No. 15 - Don’Tale Mayes – Heavyweight (265 lbs)
- Rafael Estevam vs. Jesus Aguilar – Flyweight (125 lbs)
- No. 13 - Angela Hill vs. Ketlen Souza – Strawweight (115 lbs)
- Gabriel Bonfim vs. Khaos Williams – Welterweight (170 lbs)
- Jared Gordon vs. Mashrabjon Ruziboev - Lightweight (155 lbs)
Stay tuned for post-event coverage, as Las Vegas' promise of electrifying matches seems inevitable.
- Weili Zhang expressed interest in challenging Valentina Shevchenko in the flyweight division after her victory over Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312.
- According to UFC President Dana White, if Zhang manages to transition to the 125-pound division and beats Shevchenko, she could become the second woman in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes.
- At UFC Vegas 104, middleweight contender Jared Cannonier will aim to reinforce his position in the UFC rankings, facing unranked opponent Gregory Rodrigues in the main event.
- Weili Zhang's potential next opponent in the flyweight division could be the winner of Shevchenko's fight against Manon Fiorot, although the exact date for this matchup is not yet determined.