The UFC is close to finalizing Zhang Weili’s first strawweight title defense, and it will come against the most dominant woman in the division’s history.
Zhang (20-1) has agreed to face former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk (16-3) at UFC 248 on March 7, according to multiple sources. Contracts have not been signed but the UFC is working to make the 115-pound title fight official. The UFC has not announced a venue, however Las Vegas is the current front-runner, per sources.
MMAFighting.com first reported the matchup.
Zhang, 30, is the first Chinese champion in UFC history. She won the title by knocking out Jessica Andrade in just 42 seconds at a UFC Fight Night in August in Shenzhen, China. Since signing with the UFC in 2018, Zhang is 4-0.
Jedrzejczyk, of Poland, holds the current record for most strawweight title defenses with five. The 32-year-old held the belt from 2015 to 2017, with dominant wins over Andrade, Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. She surrendered the belt in late 2017 to Rose Namajunas.
Jedrzejczyk is coming off a decision win against Michelle Waterson in October.