Zhang Weili simply had no answer for Valentina Shevchenko. Like Joe Rogan rightly pointed out in the UFC 322 Octagon interview, she was the one touted as the challenger to finally dethrone the Kyrgyz champion. Yet, when the cage door closed, ‘Magnum’ was outsized and outclassed by ‘Bullet.’ The Chinese superstar now sits without a title, despite not losing her previous one. Where does she go from here?

Over five thrilling rounds, both fighters displayed incredible skill, but in the end, Zhang Weili’s striking precision and ground-and-pound fell short against Shevchenko’s sheer dominance. Despite the setback, Weili’s previous monumental victories had already cemented her status as a two-division champion. The journey, however, is far from over.

What’s in store for Zhang Weili following UFC 322?

Today, Zhang Weili missed the opportunity to cement her legacy as one of the greatest female fighters of all time. Her decision to vacate the strawweight title did not pay off, and this latest setback sends her back to the drawing board, where she will face top opponents who are either on losing streaks or top 10 in the division. At flyweight, among the top contenders, Manon Fiorot emerges as a strong candidate to face Zhang Weili. She challenged for the title in March but fell short against Valentina Shevchenko. Last month, however, she bounced back with a knockout victory over Jasmine Jasudavicius.

Fighters in Zhang Weili’s position often need just one more win to earn another title shot, which puts Manon Fiorot firmly in the mix. Former champion Alexa Grasso is also a contender, though she has struggled after back-to-back losses, one to Shevchenko and her most recent defeat to Natália Silva at UFC 315. Silva has emerged as a rising threat, while Erin Blanchfield remains a serious title challenger, having defeated Rose Namajunas and, most recently, Tracy Cortez on the UFC 322 undercard.

There is also a possibility that Zhang Weili could return to her strawweight division following her unsuccessful bid against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 322. In that case, she could face top contenders like Virna Jandiroba and Tatiana Suarez. But will Weili actually choose to drop back down to 115lbs? Let’s take a closer look.

Will Weili stick to flyweight or make a strawweight return?

“I’ve always wanted to move up a weight class, but the timing was never right… I don’t have to endure so much pain just to make weight,” Zhang Weili said earlier this year. The comment came after the Chinese star grew tired of the grueling weight cuts that have long defined her career. Earlier this year, fighters like Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev also vacated their titles and announced moving up divisions to avoid severe weight cuts.

After today’s performance and her loss to Valentina Shevchenko, Weili is the only unsuccessful one from the trio. The question now on everyone’s mind is whether Zhang Weili will stay at flyweight or return to strawweight. Fans are eagerly awaiting a response from the Chinese superstar, who vacated her strawweight title, now held by Mackenzie Dern. Ahead of UFC 322, Zhang was asked whether she would return to strawweight if she lost or even if she won. Her answer was brief but clear. “I want to congratulate Mackenzie Dern, the new strawweight champion, but we’ll see after my fight this Saturday,” Zhang said.

It remains uncertain whether Zhang Weili will remain in the flyweight division. At 36, the toll of cutting weight is significant, and few fighters want to endure the strain of extreme weight cuts. Her career remains firmly tied to the UFC, and fans will have to wait for further updates on her next move.