Zhang Weili Vacates UFC Strawweight Title
Former UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili has decided to vacate her title, anticipating her move up to the flyweight division. The UFC has already scheduled the next fight for the vacant belt.
Virna Jandiroba (22-3) will face Mackenzie Dern (15-5) for the vacant 115-pound title at UFC 321, on October 25 in Abu Dhabi. The announcement was made by UFC CEO Dana White.
Zhang (26-3) left the division to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight title at UFC 322, on November 15 in New York.
This title fight is a rematch of a December 2020 bout, where Dern defeated Jandiroba by unanimous decision in a three-round fight.
Jandiroba has had a 6-1 record since that encounter in 2020, including an active streak of five consecutive victories. Dern’s path has been more irregular, with a 5-4 record. Despite this, Dern has shown a good performance in her last two fights, achieving victories over Loopy Godinez and Amanda Ribas.
The UFC 321 event, which will take place at the Etihad Arena, will feature a heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall (15-3) and Ciryl Gane (13-2). In addition, White announced a bantamweight matchup between former title contender Umar Nurmagomedov (18-1) and Mario Bautista (16-2) for the same event.
