Despite entering as the betting underdog at UFC 312, Zhang Weili looked like the best fighter in 115-pound history on Saturday in a dominant defense of her women’s strawweight title.
Zhang (26-3), a two-time champion, left the previously unbeaten Tatiana Suarez (11-1) bloodied and badly bruised following five rounds of dominant takedown defense and powerful striking. The 35-year-old Zhang, the first Chinese-born champion in UFC history, took home judges’ scores of 49-46 (twice) and 49-45.
“Because I had a full camp for this fight, I am well prepared for this. I have the world’s best coaches,” Zhang said. “I respect Tatiana, she is very strong. She overcame constant injuries and kept going. I have respect for Tatiana. Thank you.”
Suarez, 34, who surrendered the first successful takedown of her career in Round 4 on an inside trip, showed tremendous heart to last the full 25 minutes but couldn’t overcome an 18-month layoff due to injury and the well-rounded, relentless pressure of Zhang.
Even though much of the pre-fight focus surrounded Suarez, who has persevered through a dominant yet injury riddled career, which kept her idle for nearly four years beginning in 2019, the native of Covina,…
