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UFC CEO Dana White places the belt on Zhang Weili of China in the UFC strawweight championship fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
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The 10 | Standout Strawweight Title Fights

Reflecting On The Best Championship Bouts In The 115-Pound Ranks Ahead Of UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2

Next month in Sydney, Australia, Zhang Weili puts her strawweight belt on the line against undefeated challenger Tatiana Suarez in what will be the 19th title fight in the history of the UFC’s 115-pound weight class.

The strawweight division has been captivating from the outset. Largely introduced through the first season of The Ultimate Fighter to feature seeded competitors, a tournament format, and a championship bout to close things out, there have been eight different title reigns, but just five champions, and some of the most memorable moments of the last few years have transpired in the strawweight ranks.

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As we draw nearer to Zhang putting her title on the line for a third time in her second stint atop the division, let’s look back on some of the iconic championship moments of the past in the latest edition of The 10.

Carla Esparza defeats Rose Namajunas (TUF 20 Finale — December 12, 2014)

Carla Esparza punches Rose Namajunas in their strawweight championship fight during The Ultimate Fighter Finale event inside the Pearl concert theater at the Palms Casino Resort on December 12, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Carla Esparza punches Rose Namajunas in their strawweight championship fight during The Ultimate Fighter Finale event inside the Pearl concert theater at the Palms Casino Resort on December 12, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Esparza was the top seed heading into Season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter — the reigning Invicta FC champion at the time and a dominant wrestler sporting a 10-2 mark that included prior wins over fellow UFC title hopefuls Felice Herrig and Bec Rawlings. Despite her credentials and accolades, “The Cookie Monster” always felt a little overlooked and under-appreciated.

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She was reliable, established, and methodical in her approach to collecting victories, and few people flock to No. 1 seeds that generate very little drama. They’re attracted to Cinderella stories, like that of the No. 7 seed Namajunas, then in her early 20s and with a bundle of unrefined potential. She was dynamic, athletic, and worked her way to the finals in the exact opposite fashion as Esparza, registering submission wins over Alex Chambers, Joanne Wood (nee Calderwood), and Randa Markos.

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She was the belle of the ball, and Esparza was the clock striking midnight.

From the outset, the Team Oyama representative’s experience and savvy shone through as she allowed Namajunas to bop and move at range, throwing kicks and leaping attacks, using them to catch her off balance and put her on the canvas. While Namajunas did well to counter the wrestling early, Esparza’s experience and methodical approach was simply too much for the 22-year-old to deal with.

After finishing the second round working from mount and advancing to the back, Esparza took Namajunas down early in the third and quickly transitioned to her back, sinking in her hooks before doing the same with a fight-ending rear-naked choke.

Joanna Jędrzejczyk defeats Carla Esparza (UFC 185 — March 14, 2015)

Joanna Jedrzejczyk avoids a punch from Carla Esparza during UFC 185 at the American Airlines Center on March 14, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)
Joanna Jedrzejczyk avoids a punch from Carla Esparza during UFC 185 at the American Airlines Center on March 14, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)

“After this weekend, you can just call me ‘Joanna Champion.’”

That might not be the exact quote from fight week in Dallas all those years ago, but it’s pretty close, as Jedrzejczyk, then readying for her third UFC appearance and a championship bout with Esparza, playfully gave media members an easy out rather than trying to learn how to properly pronounce her last name.

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A couple days later, the Polish standout made it so that the name actually stuck, as she marched out at UFC 185 and demolished Esparza, kicking off the first great title reign in the history of the 115-pound weight class.

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The entire week was a coming out party for Jedrzejczyk, who had won her first UFC bout against Julianna Lima by unanimous decision before edging out fellow top contender Claudia Gadelha by split decision to earn her place opposite Esparza as the pay-per-view co-main event. Not only did she dazzle with the media, flashing the charisma and personality that helped make her one of the most beloved fighters of her era, but she cranked up the intensity in the Octagon too, giving rise to her other nom de pugilist: Joanna Violence.

There have been knockouts where titles changed hands quickly and dramatically, but this was and is still one of the most one-sided victories in championship history that I can remember, and I will never forget it.

Joanna Jędrzejczyk defeats Claudia Gadelha (TUF 23 Finale — July 8, 2016)

Joanna Jedrzejczyk punches Claudia Gadelha in their UFC women's strawweight championship bout during The Ultimate Fighter Finale event at MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 8, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Joanna Jedrzejczyk punches Claudia Gadelha in their UFC women's strawweight championship bout during The Ultimate Fighter Finale event at MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 8, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)

With one minute and 20 seconds remaining in the third round, Jedrzejczyk stood up and began walking back to the center of the Octagon, motioning for Gadelha to join her with a quick, almost dismissing, wave of her hand.

While it was one part the universal signal for “come on,” it was also very clearly a shot at the fading Brazilian who was laying on the canvas, collecting her breath after eating a couple shots after the champion had stuffed her most recent takedown attempt and put her on her back.

To this day, I will argue it’s still the most important moment of the fight; the blow that did the most damage, even though it wasn’t counted as a significant strike.

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Gadelha had done well early, winning the first two rounds on all three scorecards, and she had some success in the third despite her gas tank starting to run dry. But that moment — Jedrzejczyk stuffing the takedown, landing an elbow to the side of the head, flipping the challenger to the canvas and beckoning her to stand up — swung the entire fight.

Jedrzejczyk won the third on all three cards and never looked back, earning 10-8 scores in Round 4 from all three officials before wrapping up her third successful title defense by claiming the final round and the unanimous decision victory.

Very seldom does a fight ever change on a gesture, but in this instance, that is precisely what happened.

Rose Namajunas defeats Joanna Jędrzejczyk (UFC 217 — November 4, 2017)

Rose Namajunas punches Joanna Jedrzejczyk in their UFC women's strawweight championship bout during the UFC 217 event inside Madison Square Garden on November 4, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Rose Namajunas punches Joanna Jedrzejczyk in their UFC women's strawweight championship bout during the UFC 217 event inside Madison Square Garden on November 4, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

Namajunas rebounded from her loss to Esparza with three straight wins, then followed up her split decision loss to unbeaten Polish contender Karolina Kowalkiewicz by submitting Michelle Waterson-Gomez, moving her to the top of the list of contenders in the strawweight division. She had clearly improved, clearly matured as a fighter and a person since her initial championship opportunity in the UFC, but she was heading into battle against a dominant titleholder who had been outclassing the competition and appeared to be entrenched atop the division.

After breaking Gadelha, “Joanna Champion” out-hustled her countrywoman Kowalkiewicz at Madison Square Garden, and then returned to Dallas and pieced up the hard-charging Jessica Andrade, running her record to 14-0 overall, with five consecutive successful title defenses. There was still an aura surrounding Jedrzejczyk that made even deserving contenders and dangerous challengers feel like they might just be biting off more than they could chew.

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Namajunas looked different in her second championship opportunity. Physically, she had added size and strength, plus shaved her head, and in terms of her movements, the frenetic movement and flying attacks were replaced with more purpose-driven stance switches and feints; her striking having grown by leaps and bounds.

Two minutes into the contest, a clean right hand dropped Jedrzejczyk and caused Joe Rogan to scream loudly on the broadcast. While the champion worked back to her feet, the challenger continued to pressure and stalk, connecting with a 3-2 combination just over a minute later that didn’t quite land flush, but still registered.

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The next time she lunged forward to deploy the same combo, the two wasn’t needed. Namajunas floored Jedrzejczyk with the left hook, pouncing on her fallen opponent to secure the finish and claim the strawweight title.

Rose Namajunas defeats Joanna Jędrzejczyk (UFC 223 — April 7, 2018)

Rose Namajunas kicks Joanna Jedrzejczyk in their women's strawweight title bout during the UFC 223 event inside Barclays Center on April 7, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Rose Namajunas kicks Joanna Jedrzejczyk in their women's strawweight title bout during the UFC 223 event inside Barclays Center on April 7, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

One of the interesting wrinkles that exist only in combat sports is that when you dethrone a long-reigning champion, chances are you’re going to have to face them a second time in an immediate rematch. It’s one part “prove that wasn’t a fluke” and one part “they’ve earned a chance to redeem themselves,” and it can produce some captivating fights.

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After stopping Jędrzejczyk in just over three minutes in their first meeting, there was no question that the fallen champion was going to get an immediate rematch, which came at UFC 223 in Brooklyn. The lead-up to fight was tame between the two, but chaotic elsewhere, as Namajunas was on the bus in the bowels of Barclays Center when Conor McGregor and his entourage came looking for Russian lightweight standout Khabib Nurmagomedov.

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Despite everything that transpired during the week, the champion made the walk on Saturday night and showed that her initial win over Jedrzejczyk wasn’t “a lucky punch” or a byproduct of something the Polish standout did or didn’t do before or during the fight itself.

While the rematch was a competitive and scrappy affair, all three judges scored it the same, 49-46 for Namajunas, though Jedrzejczyk won a different round on each scorecard. It wasn’t the decisive finish that earned her the title six months earlier, but it was a more measured, more professional effort that solidified Namajunas’ standing as the undisputed champion.

Jessica Andrade defeats Rose Namajunas (UFC 237 — May 11, 2019)

Rose Namajunas attempts to secure an arm bar against Jessica Andrade in their women's strawweight championship bout during the UFC 237 event at Jeunesse Arena on May 11, 2019 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC)
Rose Namajunas attempts to secure an arm bar against Jessica Andrade in their women's strawweight championship bout during the UFC 237 event at Jeunesse Arena on May 11, 2019 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC)

Namajunas didn’t return to action for over a year following her second bout with Jedrzejczyk, spending the remainder of 2018 dealing with injuries and getting herself back into the right mindset needed in order to go out and compete against the best challengers in the world. When she did come back, the champion ventured to Rio de Janeiro, defending her title against Andrade in the main event of UFC 237.

A clear clash of styles — sniper versus bazooka expert, speed and movement versus unrelenting pressure and power — most went into the fight envisioning Namajunas crafting something similar to the performance Jedrzejczyk turned in while dispatching Andrade a couple years earlier: stick-and-move, keep her at range, avoid the power shots.

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Less than a minute into the contest, the champion had busted up the challenger’s left eye; repeated shots splitting her open, causing blood to flow and Andrade to get a little more urgent. After eating a few more shots at range, the Brazilian finally crashed forward and got her hands on the champion, attempting to elevate her with a high crotch, only for Namajunas to counter with a kimura trap that forced Andrade to re-think her attack, at least for a second.

The two remained connected, Namajunas holding onto the double wrist lock, Andrade still pursuing the slam, and when she hoisted the champion into the air a second time and deposited her on the canvas, Namajunas immediately went searching for an armbar, eventually kicking Andrade away before hustling to her feet.

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Resetting in the center, Andrade’s eye was a mess and it was Namajunas that shot for a takedown, changing things up and catching the challenger off balance. Back on her feet, Andrade continued to press forward, eating shots the entire time, including a knee from the Thai clinch that sent her stumbling backwards and down to the canvas.

Through the first round and into the thick of the second, it looked like Namajunas was well on her way to a second consecutive successful title defense. But just after the midway point of the second round, Andrade pushed forward behind looping hooks designed solely to occupy the champion’s attention and connected her hands, searching once more to elevate Namajunas and slam her to the canvas.

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This time, the kimura trap failed.

Andrade brought Namajunas down to the canvas with alarming force, instantly knocking her unconscious.

And new.

Zhang Weili defeats Jessica Andrade (UFC Fight Night 157 — August 31, 2019)

Zhang Weili celebrates after her knockout victory over Jessica Andrade in their UFC strawweight championship bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre on August 31, 2019 in Shenzhen, China. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC)
Zhang Weili celebrates her knockout victory over Jessica Andrade in their UFC strawweight championship bout during the UFC Fight Night event at Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre on August 31, 2019 in Shenzhen, China. (Photo: Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC)

In terms of actual cage time, Andrade’s title reign lasted 42 seconds.

Just as Namajunas went on the road to defend her title when Andrade claimed the belt, so too did the Brazilian when she put the strawweight strap up for grabs the first time, venturing to Shenzhen, China to take on Zhang in title fight that somehow flew under the radar with a lot of people within the sport, though I’m not sure why.

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Zhang touched down in the UFC with a 16-1 record and a 16-fight winning streak, adding wins over Danielle Taylor, Jessica Aguilar, and Tecia Torres to her resume before challenging for the title in her home country. While some would argue three wins isn’t enough to merit a championship opportunity, my counter has always been that Aguilar was once considered the best in the division, and Zhang trounced her, and besting Torres on a high-profile PPV main card (UFC 235) was more than enough to secure a title shot, and should have garnered her more recognition.

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Nevertheless, the Chinese standout rightfully got heaps of attention coming out of this one, as she happily stood in the pocket and traded with the powerful champion, clipping her with a hook that forced her to take a step back. When she came forward again, Zhang continued to land well, eventually settling for elbows to the side of the head and knees from a low clinch that sent Andrade retreating to open space.

Zhang chased her down, continued to attack with knees, and put the champion on the canvas, ending the fight in a flash while becoming the first Chinese fighter to claim UFC gold.

Zhang Weili defeats Joanna Jędrzejczyk (UFC 248 — March 7, 2020)

Zhang Weili punches Joanna Jedrzejczyk in their UFC strawweight championship fight during the UFC 248 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 07, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Zhang Weili punches Joanna Jedrzejczyk in their UFC strawweight championship fight during the UFC 248 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 07, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

This is one of the best fights in UFC history, full stop.

Officially, Zhang won by split decision, with two of the three 48-47 scorecards falling in her favor, but this is one of those bouts where it honestly didn’t feel like there were any losers, especially when you consider that only one round — the third — was scored the same across the board, with the challenger getting the nod from all three judges.

This was a fight that helped further define each women’s legacy in the UFC.

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For Zhang, it was the type of memorable battle that instantaneously cemented her status as champion and silenced any questions about her title win and the speed with which she ascended to the top of the division. If every champion needs that one classic fight to truly connect with the audience, this was it for Zhang.

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And though Jedrzejczyk didn’t go home with the strawweight title, she departed the Octagon having further burnished her legacy as one of the most dynamic and entertaining fighters of her era, adding another highlight to an already Hall of Fame-worthy career.

The ebb and flow of this fight was captivating, and even knowing the outcome now, going back and rewatching it still produces remnants of the butterflies that flitted around inside me as these two hellions battled tooth-and-nail for 25 minutes inside T-Mobile Arena.

Rose Namajunas defeats Zhang Weili (UFC 261 — April 24, 2021)

Rose Namajunas kicks Zhang Weili in their UFC women's strawweight championship bout during the UFC 261 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 24, 2021 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Rose Namajunas kicks Zhang Weili in their UFC women's strawweight championship bout during the UFC 261 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 24, 2021 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

Perhaps more than any performance in her career, this is the one that stands out as the quintessential effort that makes everyone root for Namajunas and constantly believe she’s only ever a win or two away from claiming UFC gold.

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After losing the title to Andrade in 2019, Namajunas was out of action for a little more than a year, returning in July 2020 to earn a split decision win over the Brazilian as the two faced off for a second time. Having earned a measure of revenge against the woman that unseated her from the strawweight throne, her attention shifted to the individual that was currently seated there.

As she marched to the Octagon and as she stood in the blue corner during introductions, Namajunas repeated the words, “I’m the best” to herself over and over. It felt like equal parts reminder and invocation — she knew it, but was also speaking it into reality — and just 78 seconds into the contest, she made it a fact.

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Standing in the center of the Octagon, Namajunas flicked a left high kick up with such speed, power, and dexterity that Zhang didn’t have a chance to react before foot met chin and she crashed to the canvas.

Just as she did after defeating Jedrzejczyk the first time, Namajunas faced Zhang in an immediate rematch later in the year, winning a narrow decision to retain the title before eventually dropping the belt in a rematch with Esparza at UFC 274.

Zhang Weili defeats Yan Xiaonan (UFC 300 — April 13, 2024)

Zhang Weili punches Yan Xiaonan in the UFC strawweight championship fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Zhang Weili punches Yan Xiaonan in the UFC strawweight championship fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)


Zhang became the third two-time champion in strawweight division history by storming through Esparza at UFC 281, submitting her in the second round. She then successfully defended her title against Amanda Lemos at UFC 292 in Boston before teaming with Yan in the first all-Chinese championship fight in UFC history at last year’s historic tricentennial event at T-Mobile Arena.

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This fight feels like one that gets mis-remembered based on the final scorecards, which read 49-45 across the board for Zhang, who earned 10-8 scores for her emphatic second-round effort before Yan won the third on all three scorecards.

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Think about that for a second: Zhang was on the brink of securing a finish in the second, dominating to the point that all three judges didn’t hesitate to award her a 10-8 round, and then Yan marched right back out in the third and forced her way back into the fight.

What’s lost on the scorecards is that the challenger was having continued success in the fourth before Zhang tapped into her energy reserves and began to rally, working all the way back to win the round and cruise through the fifth to secure what looks like a lopsided victory on paper.

But it was anything but.

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UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2 took place live from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales, Australia on February 8, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!