Zhang Weili vs Tatiana Suarez Preview & Picks
Tatiana Suarez is tipped to win the UFC women’s strawweight title by submission.
Zhang was taken down multiple times in her last fight, and that spells trouble for her here.
Suarez is an elite grappler and a proven finisher, so we are backing her to get this to the mat where she can close out the contest.
- Tatiana Suarez has a perfect 10-0 record
- Tatiana Suarez has won 7 of her 10 fights via stoppages (2 KOs, 5 Subs)
- Tatiana Suarez has 61% takedown & averages 6.20 takedowns per 15 minutes
- Zhang Weili has a 50% takedown defense
Zhang Weili Form
Zhang Weili is the current UFC women’s strawweight champion with a career record of 25-3 (11 KOs, 8 Subs).
Zhang debuted in the UFC in 2018 and quickly climbed the ladder as she won the strawweight title in only her fourth fight.
She knocked out Jessica Andrade in just 42 seconds in August 2019, and the following year she successfully defended that crown with a split decision win over Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
The 35-year-old Chinese fighter lost the title in 2021 though, as she suffered a shock first-round knockout loss to Rose Namajunas.
Zhang then dropped the rematch with ‘Thug Rose’ too, going the distance as she lost via split decision.
‘Magnum’ halted her losing run in June 2022 as she won her rematch with Jedrzejczyk by second-round knockout, earning herself a shot at regaining the strawweight crown in the process.
She took her chance to become a two-time champion as she submitted Carla Esparza in the second round.
Zhang has made two successful defences since then, beating both Amanda Lemos and Yan Xiaonan via unanimous decision.
Tatiana Suarez Form
Tatiana Suarez is the current #1 ranked women’s strawweight contender with a perfect professional record of 10-0 (2 KOs, 5 Subs).
Suarez compiled a 3-0 record on the minor MMA scene before an appearance on The Ultimate Fighter earned her a UFC contract.
She submitted Amanda Cooper in the first round of the final to win the strawweight tournament – her debut outing at that weight.
The 34-year-old Californian marked her official UFC debut with a points win over Viviane Araujo, and she then backed that up with a first-round submission win over Alexa Grasso.
From there, Suarez knocked out Carla Esparza in the third round and then beat Nina Ansaroff on points to continue her climb up the ladder.
She briefly moved to flyweight in February 2023 as she submitted Montana De La Rosa in the second round, before successfully returning to strawweight later that year.
Suarez earned ‘Performance of the Night’ accolades as she tapped out Jessica Andrade in the second round.