One of the biggest women’s fights of all time goes down at UFC 322.

Pound-for-pound queen Valentina Shevchenko defends her flyweight crown against the #2-ranked pound-for-pound fighter and former champ Zhang Weili in the co-main event of UFC 322 this weekend.

After three title defenses in a row, Zhang vacated her strawweight belt earlier this year in an effort to become a two-division champion at 125 lbs.

Shevchenko, a fellow two-time champion, notched her eighth successful title defense against Manon Fiorot at UFC 315 in May.

Both women made championship weight Friday morning, making their fight official for Saturday.

While her services wouldn’t be needed, a former champion thought about being a back-up fighter for the title fight.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk had hoped to be backup fighter for Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili

Joanna Jedrzejczyk has a combined six fights with Shevchenko and Zhang.

Poland’s former UFC women’s strawweight champion fought Shevchenko three times in Muay Thai before she lost a flyweight title fight to Shevchenko (via decision) at UFC 231 in 2018.

Jedrzejczyk nearly defeated Zhang in their 2020 ‘fight of the year’ contender, but the UFC Hall of Famer was knocked out in their 2022 rematch and retired thereafter.

Jedrzejczyk weighed in on her former foes fighting at UFC 322.

“I’m actually very close to Weili and Valentina,” Jedrzejczyk said at a Q&A.

“I’ve [known] Valentina for years from Muay Thai times.

“I was really hoping to be the backup for this fight,” Jedrzejczyk added.

“Even without training.

“But, after I checked my weight, I find out that I can be the backup for Malcolm [Wellmaker],” the former strawweight joked about fighting at bantamweight instead.

“But honestly, I don’t know, what I know [is] that this fight is going to be one of the greatest fights in [women’s MMA history],” said Jedrzejczyk.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk is one of three women in the UFC Hall of Fame

In some eyes, Jedrzejczyk is still the greatest strawweight fighter of all time.

Jedrzejczyk has the most consecutive title defenses in strawweight history (5). Her resume includes wins over Jessica Andrade, Claudia Gadelha (twice), Karolina Kowalkiewicz, and Carla Esparza.

Jedrzejczyk became the second woman to be inducted to the UFC Hall of Fame in 2024, two years after her retirement.

Rousey was the first woman to be inducted to the UFC Hall of Fame. Amanda Nunes, the consensus greatest female fighter of all time, was the third to be inducted in 2025.