After defeating France’s Manon Fiorot in May, Shevchenko praised Weili, floating the idea of a fight between the pair.

“Zhang has the same passion for martial arts as me, the same mindset. It’s not about fame – this is what I like about her,” said Shevchenko.

“I’m hearing from fans this is the fight they want to see.”

Perhaps Shevchenko looked outside the flyweight division because she has continuously got the better of foes within it.

Her only blip since becoming champion in 2018 is a defeat by Alexa Grasso in 2023, but after a draw in the rematch she regained her title in the trilogy fight last September.

Remarkably, Shevchenko has featured in 12 of the 13 UFC women’s flyweight title bouts, winning 10, drawing one and losing one.