UFC 322 is set to reach a fever pitch from Madison Square Garden as the Women's Flyweight (125) title will be on the line in the Co-Main Event. Champion and UFC legend Valentina Shevchenko will welcome former champ Weili Zhang of China as two of MMA's best finally meet. Check our UFC odds series for the Shevchenko-Zhang prediction and pick.
Valentina Shevchenko (25-4-1) has gone 14-3-1 during her illustrious UFC career since 2015. Most recently taking the belt back from Alexa Grasso and defending against Manon Fiorot in dominant fashion, Shevchenko will welcome Zhang as she defends her title against the reigning strawweight champ. Shevcheno stands 5-foot-5 with a 65.5-inch reach.
Weili Zhang (26-3) has gone 10-2 inside the UFC since 2018 en route to holding multiple strawweight title. After gaining the belt back over Carla Esparza and defending it successfully three consecutive times, Zhang notably vacated the belt and will now face the toughest test of her career in a new weight class. Zhang stands 5-foot-4 with a 63-inch reach.
Here are the UFC 322 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 322 Odds: Valentina Shevchenko-Weili Zhang Odds
Valentina Shevchenko: -135
Weili Zhang: +114
Over 4.5 rounds: -270
Under 4.5 rounds: +200
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Why Valentina Shevchenko Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Manon Fiorot – U DEC
- Last 5: 3-1-1
- Finishes: 8 KO/TKO, 7 SUB
While many thought Manon Fiorot would be a dangerous opponent for Valentina Shevchenko given her physical frame and striking ability, Shevchenko showed that she's still the best striker in the division and managed to land two key takedowns as well. She faces a very similar fighter to herself in Weili Zhang, so it'll be interesting to see how Shevchenko evolves to the challenge and how she can continually add to her game.
The distance control will be the most crucial part of this fight and Shevchenko is a master at capitalizing on the smallest openings. Zhang tends to bounce in her stance and let her guard down at times, like when she was knocked out by Rose Namajunas. Shevchenko is one of the best alive with her high head kick, so expect that to be a similar theme in this fight.
Furthermore, Shevchenko has shown her willingness to go to the ground and secure rounds with her control time. While Zhang is an extremely talented wrestler herself, Shevchenko is more fluid and has more techniques to work with from there.
Why Weili Zhang Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Tatiana Suarez – U DEC
- Last 5: 5-0
- Finishes: 11 KO/TKO, 8 SUB
After dominating the Strawweight Division with a second title run, Weili Zhang is finally making the leap to the Flyweight Division to face an all-time great of the sport. In doing so, Zhang is looking to make history in her own right, much like Shevchenko tried when moving up to bantamweight. By the looks of it during fight week, Zhang looks massive, muscular, and in great shape heading into this fight.
Given her strong frame, Zhang will have a big advantage in the clinch and along the fence. While Shevchenko is very savvy at defending takedowns with a 76% rate over her career, Zhang could find success with her brut strength if she's able to lock her hands along the fence. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how much of a power advantage Zhang has in the new weight class.
It'll also be interesting to see if she loses any speed or if the extra weight affects her cardio in any way. Zhang was already a physical specimen when fighting at 115, so this 125 frame should suit her style more. Given how generally physical of a fighter she is, don't be surprised if she uses every bit of strength and force to her advantage.
Final Valentina Shevchenko-Weili Zhang Prediction & Pick
Fans of the sport have been anticipating this matchup for some years now and we're lucky to finally have the stars align. Weili Zhang looks to be in tremendous shape at 125 and given the recent dominant run she went on, we should be seeing an equally dominant force this time around. We'll see how she's able to use the extra weight to her advantage and how big she'll look come time to step in the cage.
Still, Valentina Shevchenko has gone toe-to-toe with the likes of Amanda Nunes, so the physicality of Zhang shouldn't be an issue in this fight. Given how fast she looked against Manon Fiorot, I expect Shevchenko to have a serious advantage here with her handspeed and kicking. However, she'll need to be precise in moving out of range as Zhang is likely to be walking her down throughout this one.
For our final prediction, I think we'll see a classic fight where both sides have their moments, but it's ultimately Valentina Shevchenko who puts together the more complete performance. Still, this fight is razor-thin and the odds could be closer to a pick'em by the time this fight closes.
Final Valentina Shevchenko-Weili Zhang Prediction & Pick: Valentina Shevchenko (-135)
