Silva vs. Cong For Vacant Title After Shevchenko Stripped

Natalia Silva will fight Wang Cong for the vacant flyweight championship in the main event of UFC 332 on Oct. 3 in Salt Lake City.

The title bout was announced during Saturday's UFC Paris broadcast, according to MMA Mania. Valentina Shevchenko, the reigning champion, was stripped of the belt after learning she will be sidelined for a year with an injury. Silva and Cong were already scheduled to compete on the card before the promotion elevated their bout to the main event.

Silva's Path To A Title Shot

Silva has torn through the flyweight division since joining the UFC in 2022, posting an 8-0 record inside the Octagon. The 29-year-old Brazilian has beaten former champions Rose Namajunas, Alexa Grasso, and Jessica Andrade during her current 14-fight winning streak. She was originally booked to face Shevchenko in the co-main event before the champion's injury opened the door for an interim title fight that became a vacant title opportunity.

Cong, 34, has won her last four UFC bouts after suffering her only career loss to Gabriella Fernandes in 2024. The former kickboxing standout is 10-1 in MMA and holds a 2015 kickboxing victory over Shevchenko, though her grappling remains a work in progress against strikers like Silva.

UFC 332 airs live on CBS and Paramount+ from Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Natalia Silva vs. Wang Cong title fight to main event UFC 332, injured Valentina Shevchenko stripped of Flyweight crown