UFC President Dana White announced that the promotion's women's strawweight champion, Weili Zhang, will face the winner of the championship bout between Valentina Shevchenko and Manon Fiorot, scheduled for May 11 at UFC 315 in Montreal, Canada.
White said at the press conference following UFC Fight Night 252:
I love them both [Shevchenko and Weili], maybe we’ll just have to find out [who’s the greatest]. It’s a possibility. Whatever Zhang asks me back there in the hallway, I’ll probably say yes. I’m definitely not [against double champions]. Weili Zhang – she’s accomplished everything you can accomplish in her weight division. I don’t have a problem with it.
Shevchenko's last fight was against Alexa Grasso in September 2024 at UFC 306. In that bout, which lasted the full distance, Valentina won by unanimous decision, reclaiming her UFC championship title. She holds a record of 24 wins, four losses, and one draw.
Fiorot last fought against Erin Blanchfield in March 2024 at UFC on ESPN 54. That match also went the distance, ending with Manon winning by unanimous decision. Her record stands at 12 wins and one loss.
Zhang’s last fight was against Tatiana Suarez on February 9 at UFC 312. In this bout, which lasted the full distance as well, Weili won by unanimous decision. She has a record of 26 wins and three losses.
