BREAKING: UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili has officially vacated her title as she gears up to challenge for the flyweight championship. In a swift move, the UFC has announced a pivotal matchup for the vacant 115-pound title: Virna Jandiroba will face Mackenzie Dern at UFC 321 on October 25 in Abu Dhabi.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the urgent news just moments ago, igniting excitement among fans and fighters alike. This title bout will be a rematch; Dern previously defeated Jandiroba by unanimous decision in December 2020. Since that encounter, Jandiroba has surged in the rankings, boasting a 6-1 record, highlighted by an impressive five-fight win streak. Meanwhile, Dern’s journey has been more tumultuous, with a 5-4 record in her last nine fights, but she has shown resilience, recently defeating Loopy Godinez and Amanda Ribas.
This matchup carries significant weight as both fighters vie for the opportunity to claim the vacated title. Zhang, holding a record of 26-3, is set to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the flyweight title at UFC 322 on November 15 in New York, further shifting the landscape of the UFC divisions.
Additionally, UFC 321 is expected to be a blockbuster event, featuring a heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane as the main event. White also announced a bantamweight clash between former title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov and Mario Bautista for the same card.
Fans and analysts alike will be closely watching these developments. The stakes are high as Jandiroba and Dern prepare to battle for the strawweight crown, with implications that could reverberate throughout the UFC divisions. As anticipation builds for UFC 321, all eyes will be on Abu Dhabi for this crucial title fight.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story unfolds.
