China's Zhang beats Suarez to retain UFC strawweight belt

SYDNEY -- China's Zhang Weili outlasted Tatiana Suarez of the United States with formidable striking power on Sunday to convincingly retain her UFC strawweight belt in Sydney.

In the co-main event of UFC 312, Zhang defended her title via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45) to prevail in the five-round slugfest.

The 35-year-old Zhang (26-3) inflicted Suarez's first defeat, and she has now won five consecutive fights.

It was a successful return for Zhang, whose last appearance in the octagon was when she beat compatriot Yan Xiaonan in Las Vegas early last year in the first all-Chinese UFC title fight