On this evening, the Kyrgyz MMA star once again showcased her outstanding skills, winning by unanimous decision and fully controlling the course of the fight.
A tough opponent and a loud challenge
Weili Zhang, a former champion and second in the P4P rankings, approached the fight with an impressive streak of five victories. She decided to move up to a new weight class and challenge one of the greatest fighters in history. At first glance, Zhang seemed to be a serious threat due to her power, endurance, and diverse technique, which promised a challenging evening for Valentina.
However, Shevchenko is known for her ability to take on challenges, and in this fight, she once again lived up to her nickname "Bullet".
Control from the first seconds
From the very beginning of the bout, the fighters began to probe each other, but just two minutes in, Valentina executed the first takedown, having previously landed a knee to her opponent's body. Zhang got back up, but soon found herself on the mat again, allowing Shevchenko to win the first round.
In the second round, the situation repeated itself: Zhang tried to diversify her actions, moving actively, but Shevchenko easily took the fight to the ground, where she dominated. The champion was close to finishing several times, landing strikes to her opponent's body and head.
Coaches' advice didn't help
By the third round, Zhang's corner urged her to avoid takedowns, but in reality, this did not change the course of the fight. Although the round was more competitive, Valentina again executed a key throw with 90 seconds left, winning this five-minute period as well.
An injury complicated the situation for Zhang
In the fourth round, it became clear that the body shots had taken a toll on Zhang; her reaction to the strikes was noticeably painful, possibly due to a rib injury. Despite this, she continued to attack, but her accuracy and speed left much to be desired. Shevchenko, in turn, calmly took her opponent down again and controlled her from the top.
The final part - a confident victory for Shevchenko
Zhang could only hope for success through a finish, so she started the round with an aggressive approach. However, Valentina handled the pressure, taking the fight to clinch and then to the ground. She controlled Zhang until the very end, leaving the judges with no doubts.
Fight result
In the end, Valentina Shevchenko defeated Weili Zhang by unanimous decision, demonstrating dominance in most exchanges and confirming her status as one of the greatest in the history of women's MMA. UFC 322 became yet another important chapter in her impressive career - calm, confident, and dominant.
