Will title change hands on UFC 312?

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in depth to break down the biggest matches in the UFC. Today he takes a closer look at the UFC 312 Co-Main event title match between women’s straw master Zhang Weili and Tatiana Suarez.

Zhang Weili UFC 312 Preview

StapleInfo:

• Registration: 25-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC
• Height: 5’4 ″ Age: 35 Weight: 115 lbs. Well: 63 ″
• Last match: Decision gain over Yan Xiaonan (13 April 2024)
• Camp: Bang Tao Muay Thai (Thailand)
• Stance/Kniking Style: Orthodox/Muay Thai
• Risk Management: Good

Supplementary Info:
+ UFC straw weight master
+ Wushu Sanda Background
+ Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt
+ 11 Knockout wins
+ 8 submission wins
+ 11 first round
+ KO POWER
+ Explosive athlete
+ Wide variation of striking arsenal
^ From basic to spinning attacks
+ Strong inside the clinic
^ Elbows, knees, trips, tossing
+ Improved wrestling and encryption
+ Good transition creation from top page
+/- 1-0 against UFC level Southpaws

Tatiana Suarez UFC 312 Preview

StapleInfo:

• 11-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC
• Height: 5’5 ″ Age: 34 Weight: 115 lbs. Well: 66 ″
• Last match: Submission Gains over Jessica Andrade (5 August 2023)
• Camp: Xtreme Couture MMA (Las Vegas)
• Stance/Kniking Style: Southpaw/Kickboxing
• Risk Management: Good

Supplementary Info:
+ “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 23 Winner
+ Recognized wrestling -background
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 2 cow -victory
+ 6 submission wins
+ 4 first round
+ Aggressive pace and pressure
+ Improves steadily Southpaw striking
+ Strong inside the clinic
^ Knee, trips and tossing
+ Excellent wrestling — ability
^ Defensively and offensively
+ Good transition grappling
+ Solid submission sharpness
^ Works well from front-headlock

Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez Point of Interest: Threatening Threats

The Co-Main event in Australia contains a strawweight title match between two women who want to put a stamp on this department.

The hassle of “Khabib of Women’s MMA”, Tatiana Suarez is a dominant strength that has apparently been destined to compete for gold in the UFC for quite a long time now. And while Suariez’s striking has often been characterized as a means of ending up on her come-up, American Standout has shown some measurable progress since her injuries of almost four years.

Now working with Coach Nate Pettit on Xtreme Couture MMA, Suarez shows a lot of the standard tools that no Southpaw should leave home without.

From TEEP to Thai kick changes from behind to an underrated Southpaw Jab as her lead, Suarez possesses the basic building materials when it comes to managing distance and putting some saying money into the bank.

I wouldn’t mind seeing more checks hooks and committed crosses from Suarez, but I’m not sure how much she will hit with an explosive force like Zhang Weili.

Although Zhang is listed as a fighter coming from a Wushu Sanda background, Zhang continues to add her striking arsenal as her MMA career continues.

The current straw weight master can come aggressively, but eventually prefers to stay light on her feet, all while using feints to open kicks and connect combinations.

Like many sanda athletes, Zhang is not shy in using spinning attacks when the positions require it. Whether she correlates her opponents to turn sidekick or counteract approaches off-foot with spinning back, the 35-year-old seems sure to turn off several roles and intervals.

Outside of a natural sense of distance and occasionally slip from the center, however, Zhang has shown that she is not beyond being stabbed by hard counters during her aggressive engagements – especially when throwing kicks.

For that reason, I will be curious to see if the current master shelves are paying off any of her kicks considering the threatening removal of threats from the challenger.

Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez Breakdown: Winning Wrestling

Since Grappling is an undeniable Crux for Challenger’s Game, winning the wrestling will be important to both parties this Saturday.

Suarez is a recognized wrestler from his days in high school to the worldwide scene, Suarez is no stranger when it comes to a closed quarter battle. Although Suarez is more than capable of timing and takes shots outdoors, she undoubtedly performs her best dismantling work when she links to and from squeezing positions.

Once in the Clinch room, Suarez has excellent wrestling chains, she goes to other nature. Whether she snaps opponents in front-headlock positions or snapping the single legs on the go, Suarez rarely seems to lose for ideas in the transition.

Still, Suarez should be careful not to hang out too long if she fails on any removal attempt.

As we saw in her first titled efforts in Shenzhen, China, Zhang has the power to break down durable resistance with hard knees and elbows within close quarters.

The Champion’s Sanda background is also convenient when hanging out in this room, shows the ability to hit smooth trips and dismantles at the drop of a crown.

Since then, Zhang has upgraded his wrestling kotels by working with talents like Henry Cejudo to the Hickman brothers (operating out of Bang Tao Muay Thai). Now it is not uncommon for Zhang to hit competent wrestling chains in open space, almost as if it were other nature.

Zhang has also shown some progress when it comes to her defensive instincts, demonstrating that everything makes up strong spreads for a more urgent scrambling game from scratch. Since changing his training camp a few years back, Zhang has also worked on his jiu-jitsu with Josh hanging, which I am sure the master is well prepared for this weekend.

Despite the fact that Zhang is an athletic back-taker to start, “Magnum” must be aware when it comes to the openings that her aggressive nature presents.

Not only is Suarez a recognized wrestler, but the current title challenger is also a skilled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, who is clearly in love with submission games.

From light-out front chefs to crushing RNCs, Suarez can make the big hay out of opponents who use tall underhook-banks or turtle positions in an attempt to season back to their feet.

Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez odds

Despite the oddsmakers who open the master as the favorite, public money has pushed this bet to choose odds and list Suarez -113 and Zhang -113 via Fanduel.

Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez prediction, choice

No matter how we came here, I can’t say that I disagree with the spread above considering how convincing this matchup is.

Saurez has been predicted to rule over this department according to some, while Zhang on the other hand has the athletics and talent to make a case for pound-for-pound greatness if her course remains the course.

I’m not sure if Round 1 will decide the match, but it will definitely bell in like the most white cracking frame that gets every fighter story that comes out warmly. I give Zhang a small edge in the early one to walk, but think the Chinese champion could find himself in uncertain positions, the longer this fight goes.

Although Zhang is the more proven party when it comes to five-round affairs, she has shown a tendency-in both victory and defeat-to slow down and drop rounds because of her inherent aggression.

While Suarez, when healthy, seems to be one of these grapers with an endless gas tank that gets better as the fight goes on. And whether I’m right in that assumption or not, Suarez has shown that hardwiring to counter everything from kicks to internal trips.

Not only are these crucial tools in the current master’s repertoire, but Zhang has traditionally struggled with fighters who could counter her in these specific places.

For that reason (along with Zhang’s inherent aggression) I will choose the challenger this weekend. Unless Zhang can seriously hurt or end his American colleague early, I suppose Suarez will be able to force her winning conditions in the middle of the rounds to become a new straw master via submission.

Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez Starting Time to see

As a co-main event, Weili and Suarez are expected to go to Octagon at. 23.45 et. The match is broadcast via ESPN+ Pay-Per-View.

For more about the card, you can visit the MMA Junkies Event Hub for UFC 312.