Valentina Shevchenko has vacated her UFC flyweight title due to an injury expected to sideline her for up to a year. Natalia Silva and Wang Cong will now fight for the vacant belt on October 3, 2026, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City during UFC 332.
The UFC women’s flyweight division has a vacant championship and a reshaped main event for its upcoming pay-per-view card.
Commentators did not clarify whether Shevchenko voluntarily gave up the belt to keep the weight class moving or if the promotion made the decision for her, leaving both possibilities open.
Natalia Silva and Wang Cong Meet for the Vacant Belt at UFC 332
The vacant 125-pound championship will now be decided on October 3, 2026, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Top-ranked contender Natalia Silva steps into the championship bout carrying an impressive resume. Silva holds a 20-5-1 professional record, an 8-0 mark inside the Octagon, and a 14-fight winning streak that includes victories over former champions Rose Namajunas, Alexa Grasso, and Jessica Andrade.
Opposing her is Wang Cong, who enters with a 10-1 record and on a four-fight winning streak. Wang secured her most recent victory via a decision over Tracy Cortez at UFC 329 in July 2026. Her UFC career began with a quick 62-second knockout of Victoria Leonardo in 2024 before she hit a temporary roadblock against Gabriella Fernandes later that year, prompting a successful career rebuild.
A Decade-Old Kickboxing History Adds Intrigue to the Octagon Pairing
While Silva was widely anticipated to be the next challenger for Shevchenko, Wang’s insertion into a championship bout introduces an unusual storyline. The two fighters share past history from a completely different combat sport. Wang defeated Shevchenko by unanimous decision over three rounds at Kunlun Fight 33 in Changde, China, on October 31, 2015. That encounter was a kickboxing match contested at 132 pounds with a title on the line, marking the final kickboxing appearance of Shevchenko’s career before she transitioned to the UFC two months later.
The pair have never faced each other in mixed martial arts. Since signing with the promotion, Wang has campaigned for an MMA meeting with the former champion, though Shevchenko previously maintained that challengers needed to earn their spot.
What Awaits the Former Champion Upon Her Return
Shevchenko concludes her second reign as flyweight champion with three successful defenses against Alexa Grasso, Manon Fiorot, and Zhang Weili. Her most recent defense took place at Madison Square Garden during UFC 322 on November 15, 2025.
Despite losing her title outside the cage due to injury, the promotion has assured Shevchenko that a title opportunity awaits her when she is medically cleared to return. When that recovery timeline concludes in 2027, the division she left behind may look entirely different depending on whether Silva or Wang captures the belt in Salt Lake City.
