UFC 322: Valentina Shevchenko vs Zhang Weili Preview & Prediction
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
The co-main event plays host to one of the highest level WMMA fights of all time, with Zhang Weili moving up a weight class to take on flyweight queen, Valentina Shevchenko.
Valentina Shevchenko vs Zhang Weili facts
What time are Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev? Madison Square Garden, New York, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 322
What TV channel is UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev main card
Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev (Welterweight)
Valentina Shevchenko vs Zhang Weili (Women’s Flyweight)
Sean Brady vs Michael Morales (Welterweight)
Leon Edwards vs Carlos Prates (Welterweight)
Beneil Dariush vs Benoit Saint Denis (Lightweight)
UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev prelims
Bo Nickal vs Rodolfo Vieira (Middleweight)
Roman Kopylov vs Gregory Rodrigues (Middleweight)
Erin Blanchfield vs Tracy Cortez (Women’s Flyweight)
Malcolm Wellmaker vs Ethyn Ewing (Featherweight)
Kyle Daukaus vs Gerald Meerschaert (Middleweight)
Pat Sabatini vs Chepe Mariscal (Featherweight)
Angela Hill vs Fatima Kline (Women’s Strawweight)
Baisangur Susurkaev vs Eric McConico (Middleweight)
Viacheslav Borshchev vs Matheus Camilo (Lightweight)
Valentina Shevchenko: Can "Bullet" retain her title and push her name further in the GOAT conversation?
Widely touted as one of the greatest female fighters of all time, Valentina Shevchenko (25-4-1) is still going strong at 37. Outside of a defeat to Alexa Grasso in a trilogy that she ultimately came out on top in, the Kyrgyz has reigned over the flyweight division with an iron fist since winning the belt in 2019, scoring victories over the aforementioned Grasso, Manon Fiorot, and Jessica Andrade to name but a few. Outside of that, the former Muay Thai fighter and kickboxer's only UFC defeats came by decision against Amanda Nunes, a woman near universally regarded as the greatest female fighter in MMA history.
Zhang Weili: "Magnum" looks to make history and become the latest female two-time UFC champion
Undefeated in the UFC outside of a pair of losses to Rose Namajunas, Zhang Weili has ironically surpassed "Thug Rose" in the conversation for greatest strawweight champion of all time since. The Chinese mixed martial artist has run roughshod over the division since joining the promotion in 2019, scoring wins over Joanna Jedrzejczyk (twice), Yan Xioanan, and Tatiana Suarez to underline her credentials as one of the best female fighters in MMA history. Having essentially cleaned out her division, "Magnum" makes the jump to 125 pounds in search of her second title with the promotion.
Valentina Shevchenko vs Zhang Weili prediction
Shevchenko enters this match up as a slight favorite, likely due to her championship pedigree and her size advantage. Had this match up taken place a few years ago, “Bullet” would have been a surefire pick.
However, while Shevchenko is unquestionably one of the greatest female mixed martial artists of all time, she’s also struggled with fighters like Manon Fiorot and Taila Santos; competitors who are simply not on Zhang’s level. Moreover, the gulf between her and her opponents seems to be getting smaller every time she competes. “Bullet” used to look untouchable in her title fights, but now has to consistently battle tooth and nail to secure the victory.
By contrast, Zhang has seemingly looked more dominant the longer her reign at strawweight carried on. Outside of Rose Namajunas, no woman has been able to solve the well-rounded puzzle that “Magnum” represents at 115 pounds. Moving up a weight class, she matches up well with Shevchenko in terms of height and reach, meaning that it’s hard to envision an outcome where “Bullet” is simply able to use her size advantage to carry her to victory.
This is likely to be one of the most high level WMMA fights of all time, meaning that it could be a back and forth chess match or an all out war for five rounds. In what could very well be a split decision, the pick is for Zhang to edge out a victory on the judges scorecards and secure her second title in an upset.
Prediction: Zhang Weili to win
