Zhang Weili, the reigning UFC strawweight champion, is gearing up for her highly anticipated return to the octagon at UFC 312. She will defend her title against the undefeated Tatiana Suarez in the co-main event this Saturday in Sydney. Despite her dominant victory over Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300, Zhang has remained sidelined since April—something she insists was never her plan.
“This is a long story,” Zhang explained to MMA Fighting through a translator. “I wanted to fight more, but it was out of my control. It depended on the UFC’s plans and whether my potential opponents were available.”
The two-time champion revealed that she initially expected a chance to move up in weight and challenge for the flyweight title, but that opportunity never materialized. Instead, she watched from the sidelines as Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko battled for the belt.
Toughest Test Yet? Zhang Weili Respects Suarez’s Wrestling Prowess
Now, Zhang faces a new challenge in Suarez, a relentless grappler who earned her title shot with a submission win over former champion Jessica Andrade in August 2023. Suarez, 10-0 in her MMA career, has battled through serious injuries to reach this moment, and Zhang acknowledges the difficulty of the matchup.
“I think Tatiana is very different from all my other opponents,” Zhang admitted. “Her wrestling and grappling are at a higher level, so this fight forced me to improve in those areas. The pressure has only made me a better fighter.”
Despite her long layoff, Zhang remains confident in her abilities and believes the UFC made the right decision in awarding Suarez the title shot over Virna Jandiroba.
Flyweight Ambitions: Is This Zhang’s Last Fight at Strawweight?
While focused on defending her belt, Zhang isn’t ruling out a move to the flyweight division if she secures a victory at UFC 312.
“I think it still depends on the UFC’s plans,” Zhang said. “A lot of times, what I want to do doesn’t happen, so I can’t call the shots.”
However, if she had control over her next move, Zhang admitted she would likely leave strawweight behind for a chance at becoming a two-division champion.
“Yes, if I could make the decision, this would probably be my last fight at 115.”
With her legacy already cemented as one of the greatest strawweights in UFC history, Zhang Weili has her sights set on even bigger goals—starting with a win this Saturday night.
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