'Magnum' primed for shot with 'Bullet'

Out-sized and overpowered? UFC's strawweight queen Zhang Weili dismisses the physical challenge of her ambitious division leap, drawing on her finesse to punch above her weight.

Ever since she tamed American challenger Tatiana Suarez in February to successfully defend her strawweight title a third straight time, Zhang has not been shy about expressing her desire to try her hand in the heavier, and more brutal, flyweight class, currently ruled by Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan.

The proud Chinese striker, who's almost done it all in the 115-pound (52kg) class with two championship reigns, has again called on the Las Vegas-based promotion and Shevchenko to book a date for a mouthwatering "super fight "between two formidable champs.

If all goes to plan, the "Magnum "hopes to take her shot at a second belt before the end of this year.

"I wish we could get it settled as soon as possible, hopefully before the end of 2025," Zhang told China Daily after the UFC announced last month that it will bring its Fight Night back to Shanghai for the first time since 2017.

"The negotiation, as far as I know, is going on right now. I think Valentina is also interested in it because that's what the fans would want to see.

"Now it's up to the UFC to decide whether they are going to make it happen," said Zhang, who will have to muscle up by more than four kilograms to match the standard in the 125-pound flyweight division.

"I won't have size or power on my side heading into the flyweight division, but I believe I can be competitive there with the right adjustments tactically and mentally.

"I need to fight more with my brain and my heart, going with more precision and finesse."

The returning Fight Night, scheduled on Aug 23 at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium, is the Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts promotion's first live event in the Chinese mainland since August 2019, when Zhang wrested the strawweight belt from Brazilian grappler Jessica Andrade with a first-round TKO in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

Neither Zhang nor Shevchenko, however, will be fresh enough to fight in Shanghai in just over two months, with both having only just defended their respective titles.

Zhang's unanimous decision win over Suarez at UFC 312 in Sydney has borne witness to her evolution into a more complete mixed martial artist. The 35-year-old champ, who developed her early career in China's sanda, or kickboxing, system, fended off 14 of the wrestling specialist's 15 takedown attempts, and outstruck the challenger 251-61, to retain her title as the "betting underdog" before the bout.

Zhang is now tied with retired legend Joanna Jedrzejczyk for most strawweight title fight wins at six.

Known as "Bullet" in the Octagon, Shevchenko also clinched a unanimous decision win over challenger Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 last month, showing quite an impressive momentum that has left the entire MMA community eagerly anticipating a cross-division clash with Zhang.

Following Shevchenko's successful defense, Zhang wasted no time offering her congratulations along with a statement hinting at her pursuit of a second title, saying in an Instagram post: "Everything has lined up perfectly, it's destiny."

Shevchenko admitted during a recent ESPN interview that she's accepted that a bout with Zhang seems almost inevitable in her near future.

"On the other side, you can see the champion in strawweight, Weili Zhang, and it's kind of like she built up her career," Shevchenko said of her next fight options during the post-event show after UFC Fight Night on ESPN on Saturday.

"She deserves so much, because all of her title defenses. Definitely, I feel that, at this point, she deserves this fight more than anyone.

"Weili has the same passion for martial arts (as me) ... and she's very loyal and feels good about mixed martial arts. This is what I like about her.

"I'm hearing from my fans that this is what they want to see."

Still, Shevchenko stressed that she will wait until she's fully recovered from her win over Fiorot, and won't rush to set a date with Zhang until she's physically and mentally set to start a camp again.

Not everyone is convinced, however, that Zhang has what it takes to be a legitimate contender in the higher class.

"I think Weili would be very similar to Namajunas," said American Erin Blanchfield, the fourthranked contender in flyweight, who claimed a unanimous decision win over former strawweight belt holder Rose Namajunas in November last year.

"I think she could win some fights at flyweight, because she's very good, but I don't see her being a champ. I don't even see her really being top-five at 125.

"I mean, Rose was able to beat her twice and knock her out once, and Rose is a little bit bigger than Weili, at least height-wise. So, being even shorter, Weili has even less of an advantage at 125."