MMA Knockout

Valentina Shevchenko ties UFC record, halts Weili Zhang's double-champ bid at UFC 322

"Bullet" put on one of the most dominant performances of her career at Madison Square Garden.
Drew Beaupre|
(Zuffa LLC)

Valentina Shevchenko and Weili Zhang met in one of the biggest women's fights in MMA history at UFC 322.

Headlined by another massive title fight featuring Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev, UFC 322's co-main event saw Zhang move up from the strawweight division to challenge Shevchenko for the women's flyweight belt.

The fight unfortunately wasn't as action-packed as fans were hoping for, but Shevchenko did put on a dominant performance to defend her belt and stifle Zhang's bid for a second title.

Valentina Shevchenko Shuts Out Weili Zhang At UFC 322

A two-time strawweight titleholder, Zhang came into UFC 322 as a small underdog after successfully defending the 115 lbs. belt three times during her second reign as champion.

READ MORE: UFC 322 free live stream results & highlights for Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev

Shevchenko also came into the night following a successful title defense against Manon Fiorot, which kicked off her second stint with the flyweight belt following her trilogy with Alexa Grasso and a staggering seven consecutive title defenses during her first championship run.

The two women had a tough act to follow after the UFC 322 main card opened with three-straight finishes, and they spent the opening two minutes striking before Shevchenko found herself in top position following a clinch exchange.

It didn't take long for the challenger to work back to her feet, but after initiating another cage clinch Zhang ended up on her back again for the rest of the round. "Magnum" was taken down again early in the second round, and Shevchenko was happy to maintain top position to take a clear lead in the fight.

READ MORE: Bo Nickal closes out UFC 322 prelims with incredible one-shot KO

The third round saw the two women exchange on the feet for a longer period before Shevchenko hit another takedown with under two minutes to go, and it was clear Zhang would need a finish as things moved into the championship rounds.

The challenger continued to struggle with closing the distance before Shevchenko sealed the fourth round with another late takedown. That trend continued on in the final frame, leaving "Bullet" to get her hand raised via dominant unanimous decision after 25 minutes.

More MMA Knockout News

• Alex Pereira travels to iconic location for latest Jon Jones UFC White House callout

• Tracy Cortez targets title shot with “statement” win vs. Erin Blanchfield at UFC 322

• UFC axes several veteran fighters, including TUF winner and heavyweight fan favorite

• UFC legend brutally knocks out reality TV star in boxing debut

Stick with MMAKnockout for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.

Follow MMAKnockout on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Published
Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

Home/News