LAS VEGAS — The Ultimate Fighting Championship has announced that the legendary 2020 strawweight bout between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing as part of the Class of 2026.
The unforgettable clash from UFC 248 will make history as the first women’s fight ever inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. The official induction ceremony is scheduled to take place later this summer during International Fight Week festivities in Las Vegas.
“The fight between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Zhang Weili at UFC 248 is one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen,” said UFC President & CEO Dana White. “This fight was incredible. You had two talented savages that wanted the strawweight title more than anything and neither one of them backed down during this fight. I knew this was going to be a badass fight and it absolutely delivered. Congrats to Joanna and Weili on a fight that will always be remembered!”
A Historic Battle at UFC 248
The bout served as the co-main event of UFC® 248: Adesanya vs. Romero, which took place on March 7, 2020, at the iconic T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Both fighters entered the Octagon riding impressive momentum with the UFC strawweight championship on the line.
Zhang entered the contest as the reigning champion on a 20-fight winning streak, carrying a professional record of 20-1 (4-0 UFC). She had recently defeated former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade to become the first Chinese fighter in history to win a UFC title.
Jedrzejczyk stepped into the fight with a 16-3 record (10-3 UFC) and notable victories over former champions including Carla Esparza and Andrade.
One of the Greatest Fights in UFC History
From the opening round, the fight delivered a relentless pace that quickly turned it into an instant classic. Across five action-packed rounds, Zhang (165) and Jedrzejczyk (186) combined to land 351 significant strikes, setting the record for the most significant strikes in a women’s UFC fight and ranking as the third-most in UFC title fight history.
The fight also added another remarkable statistical performance to Jedrzejczyk’s résumé. It marked the fourth time she landed more than 180 significant strikes in a bout, the second-most in UFC history behind Max Holloway, who has accomplished the feat six times.
Additionally, it was the eighth time the Polish star landed more than 100 significant strikes in a fight, making her one of just six fighters in UFC history to reach that milestone.
A Standing Ovation and Split Decision
After 25 unforgettable minutes of action, both athletes received a standing ovation from the Las Vegas crowd, with the contest immediately being hailed as one of the greatest fights ever held inside the Octagon.
When the judges’ scorecards were read, Zhang emerged victorious via split decision, successfully defending her UFC strawweight championship in one of the most memorable battles in MMA history.
The Rivalry Continues at UFC 275
The two elite strawweights would meet again in a rematch at UFC 275 on June 12, 2022, inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore.
This time, Zhang secured a decisive victory with a spinning backfist knockout in the second round, closing the chapter on one of the most memorable rivalries in women’s MMA.
Fight of the Year Honors
The historic UFC 248 clash received widespread recognition across the combat sports world, earning Fight of the Year honors from multiple outlets including:
- FightBook MMA
- Yahoo! Sports
- MMA Junkie
- MMA Fighting
- The Athletic
- BT Sport
- CBS Sports
- Fighters Only World MMA Awards
With its Hall of Fame induction now official, the legendary showdown between Zhang and Jedrzejczyk will forever be remembered as one of the greatest fights in UFC history and a defining moment for women’s mixed martial arts.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, and Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and is also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer. He’s also the main photographer for the 4CornersMafia Car Club.
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