UFC 312 is light on value, especially compared to UFC 311, but the co-main event is solid. UFC women's strawweight champion Zhang Weili makes the third defense of her second title reign against Tatiana Suarez. "The Ultimate Fighter 23" winner Suarez was labeled a future champion out of the gate, but frequent injuries delayed the inevitable.

Dricus Du Plessis disagrees that his previous fight with Sean Strickland should have been a split decision, but acknowledged he had to earn the victory that night just more than a year ago for the middleweight belt.