Silva's First Title Defense: Shevchenko Or Blanchfield?

New UFC flyweight champion Natalia Silva will face pressure to defend her title against Valentina Shevchenko as soon as possible, according to ESPN's Brett Okamoto. Silva claimed the belt with a unanimous decision over Wang Cong at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City on Saturday night, ending a two-year stretch without a title change at 125 pounds.

Okamoto wrote that Silva carries the longest active win streak in the division and may be the best flyweight in the world, but she will battle perceptions until she faces Shevchenko. The timing depends on how long Shevchenko remains out of action. "This fight needs to happen as soon as possible," Okamoto noted in his post-fight analysis.

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Blanchfield Emerges As Alternative Option

Erin Blanchfield presents a viable alternative if the UFC wants to move quickly. The 27-year-old has gone 8-1 in the promotion since debuting in 2021, with her lone setback a five-round decision loss to Manon Fiorot in 2024. Blanchfield faces Jasmine Jasudavicius on Oct. 17, and a clean win could position her for an immediate title shot instead of waiting for Shevchenko's return.

Elsewhere on the UFC 332 card, bantamweight Payton Talbott stopped former two-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in the co-main event. Okamoto suggested Talbott could draw Sean O'Malley next, calling it a matchup that "could headline a numbered event" if fan anticipation is the metric. O'Malley is reportedly being eyed for a title fight, likely against Petr Yan if Yan defeats Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 later this month.

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Middleweight prospect Ateba Gautier suffered a first-round knockout loss to Roman Kopylov, putting his hype train on hold. Okamoto proposed Gautier face the loser of Bo Nickal versus Joe Pyfer on Dec. 12 to rebuild intrigue around the young fighter.

Source: espn.com