Zhang Weili successfully defended her strawweight title tonight at UFC 312 with a convincing decision victory over Tatiana Suarez.
Round One
The strawweight title fight is underway in Sydney!
Zhang light on her feet to start. She lands a side kick to the leg. Suarez able to close the distance and work for a takedown. Zhang trying to fight it off, but Suarez manages to complete it and is in side control in the middle of the Octagon.
Zhang manages to get to half guard and now full guard. Suarez passes to half-guard on the other side now. Zhang works to butterfly guard, but Suarez is quickly back into half-guard. The guard battle continues as Suarez mixes in the occasional light punch too.
Suarez nicely passes to side control. Knees to the body from Suarez. Zhang able to scramble back to her feet, but Suarez is working for a guillotine choke. Zhang takes her down anyway and is free from the choke. Suarez trying again for the guillotine from her back, but nothing doing there and she soon lets go.
Now it’s Zhang’s turn to work on top late in the round and lands a few ground-and-pound strikes before the horn sounds.
Round Two
Inside leg kick from Zhang. Now a body kick. Suarez closing the distance as Zhang lands a right hand. Suarez working for the takedown against the cage. She commits to it, but Zhang manages to partially stuff that and land on top.
Zhang landing a few strikes as she seeks control on top here. Good series of left hands from Zhang. Suarez battles back to her feet and Zhang threatens with a potential guillotine choke. Suarez not concerned by that as she starts to work for another takedown against the cage.
Zhang able to land a few knees to the body and then gets off the cage and back to striking range.
Good one-two for Zhang. Missed punch from Zhang but lands a body kick. Saurez drives into a takedown again, pressing Zhang into the cage.
90 seconds of the round remaining as Suarez continues to work for the takedown, but Zhang ends up on top again as they hit the mat. Suarez gets butterfly guard. Zhang patient on top. Suarez with light punches from her back and Zhang does likewise to close the round.
Round Three
Leg kick for Suarez. High kick attempt from Zhang. One-two for the champ. She lands again and is looking confident.
Kick attempt from Suarez is met by a huge punch from Zhang that rocks her, but she does a good job of disguising it as much as she can then shoots in for a takedown. Zhang fends that off though. Suarez goes in for another takedown that fails.
Suarez able to stay clinched up though against the cage. Knee to the body for Suarez. Zhang with an uppercut and left hook, then gets away from the clinch.
Suarez with a telegraphed takedown that Zhang steers clear of. Zhang with a kick. Body punch for the champ. She lands again and then falls to the mat for a moment, but gets right back up.
Side kick to the body from Zhang. Suarez tries to grab hold of Zhang, but is shrugged off. Zhang just misses with hooks and then lands a kick.
Right hand for Zhang. She’s seeing Suarez takedowns coming easily now. They clinch up. Suarez continuing to work for a takedown without success.
Missed head kick from Suarez. Leg kick for Zhang. Zhang loads up on a big punch that misses badly and Suarez tries to capitalize with a takedown attempt, but again Zhang defends it well.
Round Four
Inside leg kick for Suarez. One-two for Zhang. Zhang with a takedown now in the center of the Octagon and lands it nicely.
Zhang in half-guard here. Zhang patient but works for an arm-triangle now. She’s still in half-guard though, making it difficult to finish, and then Suarez gets back to full guard to end the submission attempt.
Zhang with some body punches and passes to half-guard. Zhang trying to pass and Suarez almost worked a reversal, but Zhang stays on top. Suarez gets her back to full-guard. A few light punches to the head from Zhang.
More ground-and-pound work from Zhang late in the round and then helps her opponent back to her feet after the horn sounds.
Round Five
Body punch for Zhang. Now one to the head. Another kick. Zhang steps into range and that enables Suarez to try for a takedown. Zhang defends it though against the cage. Suarez still working for it, but Zhang hops on one leg and then escapes.
Good body kick for Zhang and now knees. Suarez presses her into the cage. Suarez goes to her knees. Zhang tries to get on top but slides off. Zhang able to scramble though and ends up on top.
Now Suarez is scrambling, but Zhang remains on top and smothers her on top. A few punches get through for Zhang.
Zhang looking comfortable on top now and lands some more steady ground-and-pound strikes before opting to stand back up in the final few seconds of the fight.
Decision
No doubt about the winner here, with Zhang showing off her high-level, well-rounded skills to comfortably win the fight by unanimous decision (49-46 x2, 49-45) and retain her title.
