Valentina Shevchenko delivered a masterclass performance against Weili Zhang, defending her women’s flyweight title with ease. Fans and fighters hailed her as one of the most skilled pound-for-pound athletes in MMA.
Early Assault Establishes Control
The fight began with cautious trading, but Shevchenko quickly seized the advantage. She landed a knee to the body that dropped Zhang, scoring the first significant strike. Zhang scrambled to avoid a full mount, but Shevchenko rocked her again with a sharp backfist.
Shevchenko forced Zhang back to the mat and dominated from side control and the crucifix position throughout nearly the entire second round. Her grappling and positional control left Zhang with little room to mount a counterattack.
Tactical Mastery in Later Rounds
Zhang showed flashes of offense in the quieter third round, but Shevchenko executed another takedown with 90 seconds remaining. In the fourth round, Shevchenko focused on body strikes, steadily weakening her opponent. When Zhang attempted a body kick, Shevchenko caught her leg and secured yet another takedown.
Social media buzzed with praise for Shevchenko’s precision and dominance. Observers highlighted her control and technique, reinforcing her status as one of the most technically gifted fighters in women’s MMA.
Recent Career Highlights
Shevchenko lost and regained the UFC women’s flyweight title in a trilogy with Alexa Grasso. She successfully defended the belt against Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 earlier this year.
Zhang regained the UFC women’s strawweight title by defeating Carla Esparza at UFC 281. She then defended the belt against Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez before vacating it to challenge Shevchenko.
Shevchenko’s UFC 322 performance confirmed her as a methodical and relentless champion. Fans now eagerly await her next fight, expecting more tactical mastery inside the Octagon.
