Zhang Weili-Rose Namajunas title fight targeted for UFC 261

It appears a second women's title fight will be on the UFC 261 card scheduled for April 24. 

ESPN's Ariel Helwani reported on Friday evening that strawweight champion Zhang Weili (21-1-0) and former champion Rose Namajunas (10-4-0) are in the process of finalizing a contest. Earlier in the week, ESPN unveiled that Valentina Shevchenko (20-3-0) is set to defend the UFC flyweight title versus Jessica Andrade (21-8-0) at UFC 261. 

It's believed the Zhang-Namajunas bout could be announced by the UFC "in the coming days," per Helwani. UFC 261 doesn't yet have an official home but is on track to occur in Las Vegas, potentially at the UFC Apex. 

Zhang hasn't fought since she successfully defended the strap against Joanna Jedrzejczyk last March shortly before the UFC temporarily paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That match is widely viewed as the best combat sports bout of 2020 and an all-time legendary fight. 

Zhang won the belt from Andrade in August 2019. 

Namajunas, meanwhile, avenged an earlier loss to Andrade by earning a split-decision win in July. 

The UFC has Zhang No. 3 in the women's pound-for-pound rankings, while Namajunas is ranked No. 1 in the strawweight division and No. 4 overall.