Shevchenko crushes Zhang Weili and retains the title at UFC 322

Valentina Shevchenko is Crowned at UFC 322, Demonstrating Her Dominance

Valentina Shevchenko, the outstanding fighter, reaffirmed her position as the number one in the world in the women’s category by defending her flyweight title (125 pounds) on Saturday. The victory was by unanimous decision over Zhang Weili, former strawweight champion, in the co-main event of UFC 322 held at Madison Square Garden. Shevchenko, with an impressive record of 26-4-1, tied the legend Amanda Nunes in UFC history with 11 title fight victories. The expectation for this fight was high, presenting itself as one of the most important matchups in the history of women’s mixed martial arts. Zhang, who vacated her 115-pound title to challenge Shevchenko, couldn’t match the champion’s pace. Shevchenko dominated every round, securing the victory on all three judges’ scorecards.

This is the art of martial arts. When there is an opponent who is very tough in their category against all other opponents, but when they are here, in front of me, they can’t do anything.

Valentina Shevchenko

At 37 years old, Shevchenko demonstrated clear superiority in all aspects of the fight, especially in grappling. She consistently took Zhang down, controlling her on the ground. Furthermore, she neutralized Zhang’s offense, controlling the distance and timing her takedowns expertly. Although most of her work was done on the ground, she also had success with leg and body kicks.

I was prepared for the most difficult challenge. I knew I couldn’t trade blows with Weili; she has great punching power. That’s why I worked very hard and intelligently to use distance and wrestling.

Valentina Shevchenko

According to UFC statistics, Shevchenko outstruck Zhang in total strikes by 137-80 and completed 5 of 6 takedown attempts. She needed only one takedown per round, as Zhang was unable to get back to her feet. Shevchenko accumulated 13:24 of control time, during which she nearly achieved a crucifix position on several occasions. Shevchenko’s immediate future is promising. Her most likely next challenger in flyweight is the Brazilian Natalia Silva, who is coming off a dominant decision victory over Alexa Grasso in May. Erin Blanchfield, who submitted Tracy Cortez at UFC 322 on Saturday, also has a solid record.

A possible intriguing matchup would be against bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison, who is expected to defend her title against Nunes in early 2026. Nunes, who came out of retirement, seeks to regain the belt she vacated in 2023. If Harrison wins, she has already expressed interest in facing Shevchenko. Shevchenko has already competed at bantamweight and challenged Nunes for the 135-pound title in 2016.

Meanwhile, Zhang vowed to come back strong, but did not indicate whether he will stay at 125 pounds or return to 115.