There’s a wild energy in the UFC right now with fighters like Ilia Topuria hunting for legacy. ‘La Leyenda,’ as he recently declared himself, isn’t the only champ ready to be let off the leash for a division leap. The strawweight queen also has Dana White’s blessing to chase gold at 125. Zhang Weili is officially in line for the winner of Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot, a flyweight scrap set as the co-main at UFC 315 on May 10. If all goes to plan, ‘Magnum’s shot at a second belt could land before the year’s end. However, like a classic skeptic, Erin Blanchfield doubts her ability.
Moreover, the UFC has recently taken a stricter stance on fighters holding titles in multiple divisions simultaneously. The promotion wants activity, and active champions who clear out their divisions make the cut for ‘champ champ’ glory. Both Shevchenko and Zhang seemingly qualify.
But not everyone is convinced of Zhang’s prospects at the flyweight division. Erin Blanchfield, currently ranked #4 in the division, has expressed skepticism. “I think she’s really tiny, like I’ve seen her in person,” the surging flyweight contender expressed her skepticism to Jake Noecker during an in-person interview on Home of Fight.
“She’s very short for like especially for…I don’t think she would be a champ at 125,” ‘Cold Blooded’ remarked, suggesting that the size and strength differences could be significant hurdles for Zhang. Blanchfield herself is on a mission, aiming to dethrone Shevchenko and establish her own reign.
Erin Blanchfield says Weili Zhang is too small for 125 and will NOT be champion in that division:
“I can see myself finishing her [if we ever fought]. I feel it would be similar to Andrade [fight].”
@Home_of_Fight & @JakeNoeckerMMA pic.twitter.com/s4C4Z3qL02
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) April 23, 2025
Zhang Weili’s dominance in the strawweight division is unquestionable. With a record of 26-3-0, she has dispatched top contenders like Tatiana Suarez, Yan Xiaonan, and Amanda Lemos. Her recent victory over Suarez at UFC 312 was noteworthy. As Suarez kept diving in with increasingly obvious shots, the champ flipped the script. She timed an inside leg trip perfectly and planted her on the canvas. It marked the first time in Suarez’s career she’d been grounded like that in the third round. However, the allure of a superfight with Shevchenko has prompted Zhang to consider moving up in weight. “So if there is a good time for both of us to make this fight happen, it happens,” Zhang told the media at the post-fight press conference at UFC 312.
Why moving up in weight comes at the cost of legacy for Ilia Topuria and Zhang Weili
Suddenly, the 115er is eyeing a move to 125. Ilia Topuria’s on a similar mission, ditching featherweight glory for the smoke at 155. By moving up, these fighters aim to join the exclusive club of multi-division champions. It would certainly be a feat that elevates their status in the sport. However, such moves come with risks. You get to face larger, potentially more vigorous opponents. UFC’s long-time followers would remember 2005, when BJ Penn fought Lyoto Machida at openweight. He had a 34-pound weight disadvantage (191 lbs vs. 225 lbs). That size gap proved disastrous, and Penn lost by unanimous decision.
Dana White, however, loves fighters aiming high, which brings more viewers to the game. He has expressed support for these transitions, but the rule change that Diego Lopes revealed to ESPN draws questions. “They are no longer giving chance to jump from one weight class to another. If you want to move up, you have to vacate your title,” Lopes said. In Topuria’s case, the decision to relinquish the featherweight belt doesn’t seem voluntary. Similarly, Zhang’s planned move to flyweight has been met with anticipation, as fans and analysts alike are eager to see how her skills translate against the likes of Shevchenko or Fiorot.
Erin “Cold Blooded” Blanchfield is once again on the march, and this time, all eyes are locked on her upcoming clash against Maycee Barber at UFC Fight Night on May 31, 2025. After a razor-close decision loss to Manon Fiorot last December, Blanchfield bounced back to reassert her position against Rose Namajunas. The next bout is a challenge for “Cold Blooded” to prove she belongs at the summit, especially with Valentina Shevchenko’s throne still under threat.
Erin Blanchfield’s rise sits at the heart of this storm, and if Zhang moves up, how does that reshape the pecking order? So now we ask you, who do you see taking over the flyweight division by year’s end? Is Blanchfield right, as she doesn’t consider the possibility of Zhang’s championship in flyweight? Drop your takes.
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