Zhang Weili knows all bout fighting in UFC title fights at Madison Square Garden, but her latest title tussle represents the biggest test of her mixed martial arts career.
Zhang has relinquished the women's strawweight title and moved up to 125 pounds to challenge Valentine Shevchenko for the undisputed UFC women's strawweight title at VeChain UFC 322.
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Their co-main event title fight on Saturday night is one of the most eagerly anticipated women's fights in recent memory, as two of the sport's best female fighters go head to head for championship gold at "The World's Most Famous Arena".
Zhang cemented her status as the queen of the strawweights as she reclaimed the 115-pound title with victory over Carla Esparza at UFC 281, then defended the belt with unanimous decision wins over Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez.
With the division seemingly conquered, Zhang has made the decision to move up to 125 pounds in a bid to become a two-division world champion.
"Ever since I got my belt for the second time, I realized that I am my biggest opponent," said Zhang.
"I want to step out of my comfort zone and really challenge more tough fighters."
Fighters certainly don't get much tougher than Shevchenko. An icon of women's MMA, "Bullet" has a total of 10 victories in UFC women's flyweight title fights, and sits as the number-one pound-for-pound women's fighter in the UFC.
It's a test that clearly motivates Zhang, who is relishing the opportunity to step up and take on MMA's premier female fighter for an undisputed title.
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"Valentina Shevchenko is the pound-for-pound number one woman – that's well deserved," she stated.
"She's so well-rounded, she's definitely a top elite fighter. I’m just really looking forward to fighting her."
Zhang agrees that Shevchenko is the top active women's fighter in the world today, and said that her opponent's resumé puts her in the all-time top three of UFC women's champions.
"I rank Valentina Shevchenko in third place," she said, respectfully.
"First place is Ronda Rousey, because she won the first-ever women’s belt. And then second place is Amanda Nunes, because she has belts from two different divisions, and she defended her belt 11 times. And I rank Shevchenko number three."
Some might suggest that Zhang's divisional dominance at 115 pounds should put her in that same group, but she modestly said that it's not her place to decide whether she belongs among that illustrious company.
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"For myself, I think I’m still a student, still learning, and I’m trying to be the best," she said.
"It's not really based on your own evaluation. It's really about how the fans, how the audience, how everybody else, ranks you."
The weight class and opponent may both be new, but the surroundings will be familiar for Zhang. She's fought in title fights at "The Garden" twice before, with one win and one defeat to her name at the famous New York venue.
Her first appearance in NYC saw her lose a split-decision in her strawweight championship rematch against then-champ Rose Namajunas at UFC 268. But 18 months later, "Magnum" returned to MSG and submitted Carla Esparza at UFC 281 to recapture the 115-pound strap.
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Now Zhang returns to "The Big Apple" for another title tilt, and she's determined to deliver the best performance of her career in her biggest-ever title fight.
"I’m super excited, super happy to enter the Octagon again here, and I want to make sure I present the best performance for the fans," she said.
Defeating Shevchenko is a tall task, and Zhang gave us a glimpse of the key factors that will be at play in their championship matchup. But she wisely opted to keep her counsel regarding the specifics of how she plans to dethrone "Bullet" on Saturday night.
"I think the distance control, as well as the timing, are super important. But also, I definitely focus on becoming a well-rounded fighter, because Valentina Shevchenko is a super-well-rounded fighter," she said.
"But if you guys want to see how exactly the fight plays out, you will have to watch the fight itself!"
VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev took place live from Madison Square Garden Arena in New York, New York on November 15, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
