Ultimate plans title fight between Carla Esparza and Weili Zhang for UFC 281

C. Esparza faces W. Zhang in November (Photo: Montage/SUPER FIGHTS)

The first defense of the current reign of Carla esparza as strawweight champion (up to 52,1 kg) already has a date to happen. According to information from Canadian journalist Ariel Helwani, the North American defends the title against the former champion Weili Zhang No. UFC 281, an event scheduled for November 12th, in New York, in the United States.

First champion in the history of the Ultimate strawweight division, Carla esparza regained the division title by beating Rose namajunas No. UFC 274, in May this year, seven years after losing the belt to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2015. At 34 years old, the American has been blessed with six consecutive victories and has not lost since September 2018.

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Former division champion, Weili Zhang won the belt in 2019, dethroning the Brazilian Jessica Stacker and defended the title on one occasion, against Joanna Jedrzejczyk, before losing it to Rose namajunas, in 2021. The Chinese woman gained a new chance to fight for the title by overcoming Jedrzejczyk in a rematch at UFC 275, in June.

Scheduled for November 12th, at Madison Square Garden, in New York, the UFC 281 The main fight will be a fight for the middleweight belt (up to 83,9kg) between the champion Israel adesanya and the Brazilian Alex Poatán.