UFC 321: Women's strawweight title picture opening back up as Weili Zhang moves up in weight

Things are about to change in a big way in the lightest weight class in UFC. The women's strawweight division is set to crown a new champion after Zhang Weili's decision to move up and vacate the title to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the women's flyweight title.

Not only is that a superfight of sorts in what should be a champion vs. champion fight, it has given new chances to the rest of the challengers at 115 pounds. The two women to most directly benefit from those opportunities are Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern, who will battle in a rematch of a 2020 bout for the vacant belt at UFC 321 on Saturday.

Jandiroba and Dern were logical choices as future Weili opponents. With Jandiroba ranked No. 1 in the division and Dern at No. 5, they were the top-ranked strawweights who hadn't already fallen to Weili.

Weili is 6-2 in UFC title fights, only losing twice to Rose Namajunas, a fighter who proved to be Weili's personal kryptonite. In five fights since those losses to Namajunas, Weili has outlanded opponents 428 to 128 in strikes and scored 16 takedowns while only being taken down four times.

UFC 321: Pressure on Tom Apsinall, a new era at strawweight begins among top storylines to follow

Brian Campbell

It's easy to understand why other strawweights would breathe a sigh of relief when Weili took her business to flyweight. Speaking with CBS Sports' Shakiel Mahjouri, Dern said that Weili's move is a good thing for strawweight as the division can get "moving again."

"She was so dominant in the division, you know what I mean?" Dern said. "So even just to mix things up and get the division kind of moving again -- and if she comes back down, the girls in the division, myself included, will have more time to get prepared in a new way. It's just to renew the division a little bit. I know there are a lot of new strawweights coming in and climbing the rankings. It was just kind of on pause because she's so dominant. I think it's good for her to go up. I think her and Valentina is a fight that everyone wants to see."

More interestingly, Dern admitted that she would not have been ready to fight for the title if Weili still held the championship. Winning gold, however, would provide the kind of boost that could change that hesitancy.

"I don't think I was ready to fight her if they called me for the belt right now," Dern said. "But winning the belt against Virna and what that could change in the training and the mindset, it changes people, you know, getting the belt. I think that will help me be prepared for her if she does come back sooner or later."

Despite losing to Dern in their UFC 256 meeting, Jandiroba spoke to Mahjouri with more confidence of her chances in a hypothetical bout with Weili.

"Weili is a very consistent opponent," Jandiroba said. "She's always game and bringing her 'A' game. She's complete in every area. I think that I would be ready to fight her. A fight is always a fight. You can never guarantee a result, and the way it's going to be determined by things during the fight. But, I believe I'm ready. I was ready, and I am ready to fight somebody like Weili."

Whether they feel ready to face Weili in this moment or not, whoever wins in Saturday's UFC 321 co-main event will need to get ready. Weili and Shevchenko are listed by BetMGM at even odds (-110) for their UFC 322 bout. If Shevchenko gets the win, Weili may come right back to the division she has dominated since 2018, and she won't have to get in line for an opportunity to get her title back.