Valentina Shevchenko open to superfight with Zhang Weili

Valentina Shevchenko won back the women’s flyweight championship at UFC 306 in September defeating Alexa Grasso via unanimous decision in a trilogy bout.  She held the title from Dec. 2018 until March 2022 when she lost to Grasso at UFC 285.  

In the rematch, “Bullet” and Grasso fought to a split draw lining up the trilogy match at UFC 306.  With the belt back around her waist, Shevchenko is open to a superfight against strawweight titleholder Zhang Weili.  

“I’m here.  I’m ready to fight anyone,” Shevchenko said during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.  “You know myself.  Once the UFC a fight and I agree to it.  I never decline any names, so whatever they (UFC) have in mind, whatever they think is going to be like superfight or whatever, yeah, I’m up to it.  I don’t care.  I’ll fight anyone anywhere.”  

Weili captured the strawweight championship at UFC 281 in November 2022 and has defended the title twice.  There’s no clear-cut top contender in the women’s 115-pound division.

There is an obvious top contender in the flyweight division, however.  Manon Fiorot is ranked second in the weight class and is riding an incredible 12-fight winning streak.  Her last two wins were over third-ranked Erin Blanchfield and former two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas.