Zhang Weili Takes Tatiana Suarez’s ‘O’ with Dominant Decision Victory – UFC 312 Results (Highlights)

Zhang stuffed 14 takedown attempts en route to another brilliant strawweight title defense in The Land Down Under

Last updated on February 9th, 2025

Stepping into the co-main event spotlight at UFC 312, undefeated California native Tatiana Suarez looked to score the biggest win of her mixed martial arts career and leave The Land Down Under with her first world title.

Standing in her way of that goal was perhaps the most dominant female fighter in UFC history, Zhang Weili. Putting her flyweight gold on the line for the first time in 2025, Zhang stepped inside the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney determined to defend her title, further establishing herself as one of the greatest female MMA fighters in the history of the sport.

Round 1

Zhang takes the center of the Octagon to start the opening round and Suarez offers a couple of early kicks. 40 seconds into the round, Suarez closes the distance and shoots in for the first takedown of the fight. She gets Zhang down with relative ease. Suarez passes into half-guard as the two continue to jockey for position on the mat. The crowd is starting to get restless as both fighters continue to try and improve their position, but offer little in the way of offense.

With 90 seconds left in the round, Suarez passes into side control. Zhang rolls through and climbs her way back up. Suarez jumps the guillotine, but Zhang defends and gets top control with a minute to go. Zhang tries to pass to full mount, but Suarez defends and the round ends with the fighters in a stalemate on the canvas.

Round 2

Zhang shows off her speed in the second round, targeting the lead leg of Suarez, but it’s not long before Suarez shoots again and backs Zhang against the cage wall. Suarez gets Zhang down with the double leg, but the champ reverses the position in mid-takedown and gets in top control. Somewhere along the way, Suarez cut her knee open. As Suarez tries to scramble her way back up, Zhang unloads some solid ground-and-pound strikes before trying to catch the challenger with a guillotine of her own.

Suarez defends and goes right back to work, trying to take Zhang down to the mat. Zhang defends and separates. Zhang cracks Suarez with a massive one-two and the California native is already wearing the damage on her face. Suarez shoots in for another takedown and clinches Zhang against the fence. Zhang once again defends and gets her own takedown, ending up on top near the fence with little more than a minute to go in the round.

Suarez looks content to control Zhang’s posture and ride out the remainder of the round.

Round 3

Suarez opens the round with a couple of calf kicks and Zhang comes right back with a head kick. Zhang connects with a right hand and follows it up with a cracking right that has Suarez on wobbly legs. Suarez shoots in for a desperation takedown attempt. Zhang defends and stays upright. Suarez again shoots and clinches up against the fence. Zhang lands an uppercut-left hook combination in close before breaking the grip and separating. Suarez shoots for another takedown, but she’s too far away and Zhang defends it easily.

Zhang with a head kick. Suarez lands a sneaky inside leg kick that momentarily takes the champ off her feet. Zhang swings big with the right but misses. Zhang shrugs off another lackadaisical takedown attempt from Suarez. She shoots again and gets double underhooks, but Zhang slips out and lands a couple of elbows on the exit. Suarez offers up a labored head kick. Zhang looks to land something big in the final seconds, but Suarez ducks under and clinches up until the end of the round.

Round 4

Suarez lands a nice one-two and Zhang lands a takedown with a nice inside trip while clinched up. Zhang lands some solid strikes on the mat while in Suarez’s half-guard. Suarez is trying to control Zhang’s posture, but it’s clear that the title challenger is exhausted. Zhang cinches in an arm triangle, but she can’t pass Suarez’s half-guard and quickly gives up the hold.

With 90 seconds left in the round, Zhang is in complete control on the mat as Suarez seems too tired to scramble her way back up. Suarez goes for another guillotine, but Zhang fights out of it almost immediately and settles back into Suarez’s guard with a minute to go. Zhang maintains top control and pummels with a few strikes until the horn sounds.

Round 5

Zhang Weili comes out swinging big, landing a one-two followed by a booming overhand right that clips the chin of Suarez. That prompts Suarez to shoot for a takedown. Zhang lands an inside elbow and Suarez desperately tries to work the champ to the mat. Zhang keeps her balance and separates from Suarez. After a few moments, Suarez shoots for another takedown and eats a couple of strikes on her way in. Suarez gets Zhang on the mat, but the Chinese superstar reverses position and gets on top.

Zhang transitions to Suarez’s back, but Suarez scrambles to her back and gets Zhang into her half-guard. Zhang lands a stiff elbow and continues to pepper Suarez with strikes as we reach the final minute of the fight. With Suarez too tired to try and get off her back, the fight ends with Zhang on top and likely on her way to a dominant decision victory.

Official Result: Zhang Weili def. Tatiana Suarez via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45)

Check Out Highlights From Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312:

Zhang Weili was hyping up the crowd before the final round ⚡ #UFC312 pic.twitter.com/Umyc65nHW6

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 9, 2025

Heavy Hit by Zhang Weili! She is such a savage! #UFC312 pic.twitter.com/Iz5hFxRTmf

— X Fights (@XKnockouts) February 9, 2025

Zhang Weili ❤️s Australia!#UFC312 pic.twitter.com/z3ZMqEurNd

— UFC (@ufc) February 9, 2025

WEILI ZHANG DEFEATS TATIANA SUAREZ BY UNANIMOUS DECISION! (49-46, 49-46, 49-45)

AND STILL! #UFC312 pic.twitter.com/Ej60Eb6E0h

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 9, 2025