NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 26: President and CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship Dana White speaks at a press conference following fight night at Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden on July 26, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)
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It’s official. Natalia Silva will face Wang Cong for the now vacant UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship in the main event of UFC 332 at Salt Lake City. The bout and the stakes were made official during the UFC Paris broadcast on Saturday. Here’s the info on where the card stands now and what this means for Valentina Shevchenko. Let’s talk UFC.
UFC 332 Key Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Event | UFC 332 |
| Date | Saturday, October 3, 2026 |
| Venue | Delta Center, Salt Lake City |
| Main event | Natalia Silva vs. Wang Cong |
| At stake | Vacant UFC women’s flyweight championship |
| Announced | Saturday, during the UFC Paris broadcast |
| Broadcast | Paramount+ and CBS |
| Natalia Silva | 20-5-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC, age 29 |
| Wang Cong | 10-1 MMA, 5-1 or 6-1 UFC depending on whether Road to UFC counts |
| Wang’s ranking | Top 10, with outlets listing her anywhere from No. 6 to No. 10 |
| Valentina Shevchenko | 26-4-1 MMA, 15-3-1 UFC |
| Shevchenko’s status | Out roughly a year with an undisclosed injury |
Play-by-play voice John Gooden delivered the news on the broadcast. The UFC has said Shevchenko gets a title shot when she is cleared, which removes the guesswork from her path back. Neither the promotion nor its commentators clarified whether Shevchenko chose to give up the belt or was stripped of it. Her second reign ends after three defenses, over Zhang Weili, Manon Fiorot and Alexa Grasso. A Wang win also delivers the MMA rematch she has chased since signing.
Silva was already pegged to face Shevchenko on this card, though the latter was not officially offered the fight. There was a belief it would be the top fight on the Salt Lake City card. Wang stepping in is a natural fit because she is arguably the hardest-charging contender in the division. This should be an interesting striking battle for the title.
UFC 332 Updated Card
Lineup as announced. Bout order below the main event is not final.
| Bout | Division |
|---|---|
| Natalia Silva vs. Wang Cong | Women’s flyweight title |
| Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Payton Talbott | Bantamweight |
| Johnny Walker vs. Mick Parkin | Heavyweight |
| King Green vs. Esteban Ribovics | Lightweight |
| Khaos Williams vs. Roberto Soldić | Welterweight |
| Roman Kopylov vs. Ateba Gautier | Middleweight |
| Marvin Vettori vs. Ismail Naurdiev | Middleweight |
| Rafael dos Anjos vs. Alexander Hernandez | Welterweight |
| Court McGee vs. Eric Nolan | Welterweight |
| Imanol Rodriguez vs. Alden Coria | Flyweight |
| Damian Pinas vs. Andrey Pulyaev | Middleweight |
| Marcus McGhee vs. Bernardo Sopaj | Bantamweight |
| OPEN |
Shevchenko is believed to be out for at least a year; so when and if she returns (she is 38 and turns 39 in March), she would presumably get a shot at the reigning champion. It sets up an interesting storyline for 2027 and beyond.
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What Each Fighter Brings
| Natalia Silva | Wang Cong | |
|---|---|---|
| MMA record | 20-5-1 | 10-1 |
| UFC record | 8-0 | 5-1 or 6-1 |
| Age | 29 | 34 by one report, 32 by another |
| UFC debut | 2022, over Jasmine Jasudavicius | 2024, over Victoria Leonardo |
| Recent wins | Rose Namajunas, Alexa Grasso, Jessica Andrade | Tracy Cortez, Eduarda Moura, Ariane da Silva, Bruna Brasil |
| Only career loss in the UFC | None | Gabriella Fernandes, November 2024 |
| What a win unlocks | First UFC title | First UFC title, plus the Shevchenko rematch she has pushed for |
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