Valentina Shevchenko beat Zhang Weili in defence of her UFC flyweight belt and joined Amanda Nunes on 11 at the top of the list of women with the most UFC title fight wins.

Shevchenko, who is top of the women’s pound-for-pound rankings, overwhelmed her opponent from China to emerge a 50-45, 50-45, 50-45 winner.

The 37-year-old’s victory also means she is only the second woman to become a two-division UFC champion after Nunes, although she is the first to do it at strawweight and flyweight.

“It was an amazing fight,” said Shevchenko, who has a record of 26 wins, four defeats and a draw.

“I was trying to show the dominant positions in every aspect and don’t have any questions that this fight is mine.

Weili, who vacated her strawweight belt in February, moved up in weight for the fight and was beaten for the first time since November 2021.