Overview
- The promotion announced during its Paris broadcast on Saturday that Valentina Shevchenko has vacated the UFC women’s flyweight championship because of an injury that is expected to sideline her for about a year.
- Natalia Silva and Wang Cong were confirmed as the Oct. 3 main event at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City with the now-vacant flyweight title on the line, and the rest of the main card was finalized.
- Silva enters the fight on a long win streak and a perfect 8-0 UFC run with recent wins over former champions, while Wang brings a multi-fight UFC winning streak and a past kickboxing win over Shevchenko that adds narrative interest.
- Coverage noted uncertainty about whether Shevchenko voluntarily vacated the belt or was administratively stripped, and several fighters and media figures criticized perceived inconsistency in how the UFC treats inactive champions.
- The new champion will likely be the division’s face for the next year and could set up an immediate showdown with Shevchenko when she returns, a development that will shape matchmaking and title defenses in the flyweight division.