Zhang Weili Vacates UFC Strawweight Title
Former UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili has decided to vacate her title. This decision precedes her move up to the flyweight division, which has led the organization to schedule a new title fight.
The UFC 321 event, which will take place on October 25 in Abu Dhabi, will be the stage where Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern will compete for the vacant 115-pound title.
Dana White, UFC CEO, confirmed the news on Thursday.
Zhang Weili will compete for the flyweight title against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 322, scheduled for November 15 in New York.
The strawweight title fight between Dern and Jandiroba will be a rematch of their December 2020 bout, where Dern won by unanimous decision.
Since that encounter, Jandiroba has maintained a 6-1 record, including an active streak of five consecutive victories. For her part, Dern has had a more irregular performance, with a record of 5-4. However, Dern has shown a good level in her last two fights, obtaining victories over Loopy Godinez and Amanda Ribas.
The UFC 321 event will also feature a heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane, which will headline the card at the Etihad Arena.
Additionally, a bantamweight bout between former title contender Umar Nurmagomedov and Mario Bautista was announced.
