UFC Chooses to Run Back 2020’s ‘Fight of the Year’ at UFC 275

Getty Dana White attends a game between the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors at Toyota Center on February 10, 2022 in Houston, Texas.

Fans will see the second clash between former UFC women’s strawweight champions Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk later this year.

Chief business officer Hunter Campbell told ESPN about the pairing. He confirmed that the two combatants will receive contracts in the near future to fight each other at UFC 275 on June 11 in Singapore. Both fighters have verbally agreed to the bout.

Then-115 pound champion Zhang and Jedrzejczyk originally fought in March 2020 at UFC 248 in what was, to many, the UFC’s fight of the year. The two went to war for five bloody rounds, with both women finding success throughout the match. In the end, Zhang kept her belt by split decision, something Jedrzejczyk contested.

Jedrzejczyk, who is the longest-reigning women’s strawweight in history, hasn’t fought since UFC 248. On the other end, Zhang has competed twice inside the Octagon. She drew Rose Namajunas for her next title defense following her showdown with Jedrzejczyk, and the Chinese fighter was knocked out with a first-round head kick at UFC 261 in April 2021.

The UFC granted her an immediate rematch against “Thug Rose,” and this time she competed with the American for five rounds but ultimately lost a split decision at UFC 268 in November 2021.

Due to her inactivity, Jedrzejczyk is currently unranked as per the official UFC website, whereas “Magnum” sits as the No. 1 contender.

Jedrzejczyk Defended the Strawweight Belt 5 Times, 2-2 In Her Last 4 Fights

GettyWeili Zhang punches Joanna Jedrzejczyk during her split decision win to retain her strawweight title at T-Mobile Arena on March 07, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jedrzejczyk is the most successful women’s strawweight in the promotion’s history. All in all, she consecutively defended the 115-pound strap five times, the most ever. She held the belt from 2015 to 2017 until she eventually met Namajunas, who took the Polish fighter’s championship in a commanding way.

They fought at UFC 217 in November 2017 and Thug Rose finished Jedrzejczyk via first-round TKO. Namajunas and Jedrzejczyk rematched five months later at UFC 223, and Namajunas once again beat Jedrzejczyk, that time by unanimous decision.

Jedrzejczyk is 2-2 since then, beating Tecia Torres and Michelle Waterson, while dropping decisions to Valentina Shevchenko for the vacant 125-pound title and Zhang.

She boasts a professional mixed martial arts record of 16-4, boasting victories over the likes of Jessica Andrade, Claudia Gadelha and Carla Esparza.

Zhang Has Only Lost to Thug Rose Inside the Octagon

Magnum has had a very impressive run in her 24-fight career. She lost her professional debut back in November 2013, but she went on to win 21 fights in a row, which included five fights inside the Octagon.

Zhang’s streak was snapped by Namanjunas.

She won the 115-pound title in August 2019 after finishing then-champion Jessica Andrade with knees and punches, and then she successfully defended the belt against Jedrzejczyk. Zhang also holds victories over names like Jessica Aguilar, Torres and Danielle Taylor.

Her most recent fight, the unanimous decision loss to Namajunas in November, was contested by some. For example, only 14 of 22 media members gave the fight to Namajunas, as per MMA Decisions.

If Zhang manages to get past Jedrzejczyk at UFC 275, the promotion may be inclined to grant her another crack at strawweight gold. And that goes for Jedrzejczyk as well.