Report: Zhang vs. Namajunas planned for UFC 261 in Las Vegas

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

The next UFC strawweight title fight now has a planned date and venue.

Last month, UFC president Dana White announced the company’s plans of booking Weili Zhang’s second title defense in Asia. Singapore was the intended venue for an event planned to take place in April.

Around that time, the UFC was picking between ex-titleholders Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza as the next possible challenger. On Friday evening, ESPN’s Ariel Helwani provided some answers, reporting that it will happen in Las Vegas instead.

The UFC had been working on holding that event in Singapore, per sources, but sources say it's now looking like it will take place in Las Vegas. Those plans aren't finalized just yet either.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 26, 2021

As announced earlier this week, UFC 261 will feature another women’s title fight between flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko and Jessica Andrade.

Zhang last fought at UFC 248 in March against former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in what many deemed as 2020’s Fight of the Year. She won the bout via unanimous decision. Namajunas, on the other hand, last saw action at UFC 251 in a rematch against Jessica Andrade. She won by split decision.

Also part of UFC 261 is a rescheduled middleweight rematch between Chris Weidman and Uriah Hall.