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Weili Zhang gets golden ticket from UFC CEO Dana White: 'I’ll probably say yes'

Weili Zhang's options for her next fight are endless.

Zain Bando

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Weili Zhang's win against Tatiana Suarez was arguably her most impressive to date.

Impressive enough, in fact, that it caught the attention of UFC CEO Dana White, who was in attendance at UFC 312 Saturday night in Sydney, Australia.

Zhang Upsets Suarez

Taking home a unanimous decision against the previously unbeaten Suarez reasserted Zhang's spot as the UFC strawweight champion and as a Top 5 female fighter across the MMA landscape.

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Weili Zhang during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena.
Weili Zhang during UFC 300 at T-Mobile Arena. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Now, Zhang, who made UFC commentator Jon Anik "too excited to call the fight," has women's MMA at her fingertips if she wants more lucrative opportunities.

"Lots of people were texting me saying ‘Weili loses tonight,’ and ‘It’s over,’ and that she was an underdog,” White said. "I bet the casinos got murdered tonight, because I’m sure a lot of people threw money on Tatiana.”

Champion vs. Champion Superfight?

Suarez closed as the betting favorite despite being the challenger and having had an extended layoff due to injuries. Even with those elements factored in, however, Zhang didn't miss a beat by the time Round 3 and the championship rounds played out.

Weili Zhang looked dominant for the majority of her fight with Tatiana Suarez.
Weili Zhang looked dominant for the majority of her fight with Tatiana Suarez. / (Zuffa LLC)

“When you look at Weili, she’s one of the greatest of all time, the best female fighter in the sport right now,” White said. “At the press conference Tatiana was talking about what she was going to do and what about her wrestling. Weili said ‘This isn’t a wrestling match, this is a fight.’ And she actually outwrestled Tatiana tonight.”

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As for who Zhang fights next, White said he is open to all possibilities, including UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko.

Valentina Shevchenko after defeating Alexa Grasso during Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306 at Sphere.
Valentina Shevchenko after defeating Alexa Grasso during Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306 at Sphere. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

“I love them both, maybe we’ll just have to find out [who’s the greatest],” he said. “It’s a possibility. Whatever [Zhang] asks me back there in the hallway, I’ll probably say yes.”

For now, only time will tell.

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Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99

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