UFC Inducts First Women's Bout into Hall of Fame Class of 2026
Las Vegas, Sunday, 8 March 2026.
The UFC officially inducts the 2020 Zhang versus Jędrzejczyk title fight into its Hall of Fame, marking the first time a women’s bout has ever received this historic honor.
A Historic Night in Las Vegas
During the broadcast of UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2, which took place yesterday, March 7, 2026, in Las Vegas, promotion officials confirmed that the seminal bout between Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Weili Zhang has been selected for the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2026 [1][2]. This induction serves as a significant milestone for the organization, as the clash from UFC 248 is the first women’s duel to ever be enshrined in the Hall of Fame’s ‘Fight Wing’ [1][2]. Widely regarded as the consensus choice for the best women’s fight of all time, the bout originally occurred exactly six years prior to the announcement, on March 7, 2020 [2].
Anatomy of a ‘Savage’ Contest
The 2020 encounter saw Jędrzejczyk challenge the then-champion Zhang for the strawweight title in a five-round war that ended in a split decision [1][2]. Despite developing a massive hematoma, Jędrzejczyk fought until the final bell, with the judges ultimately scoring the contest 48-47 for Zhang, 48-47 for Jędrzejczyk, and 48-47 for Zhang [1][2]. Reflecting on the bout’s intensity in a press release accompanying the announcement, UFC President and CEO Dana White described the competitors as “talented savages” who refused to back down, stating it was one of the greatest fights he had ever witnessed [2].
Cementing a Strawweight Legacy
This induction further solidifies the legacy of both athletes within the combat sports landscape. Jędrzejczyk (16-5-0), who retired following a rematch loss to Zhang in June 2022, was previously inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing in 2024 [1][2]. Her career is defined by a dominant championship reign that began in March 2015 and lasted over two years, during which she successfully defended the belt five times against top contenders like Jessica Andrade and Claudia Gadelha [1]. Conversely, Zhang (26-4-0) remains an active force on the UFC roster [1][2]. Although she lost a unanimous decision to Valentina Shevchenko in her most recent outing, her resume includes multiple title defenses and victories over champions such as Carla Esparza and Jessica Andrade [1].