UFC 332’s Wang Cong doesn’t need to beat Valentina Shevchenko to be ‘real’ flyweight champion

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 11: Wang Cong of China enters the Octagon in a flyweight fight during the UFC 329 event at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Valentina Shevchenko was asked to defend her women’s 125-pound belt, but “Bullet” failed to answer the call, so UFC stripped her of the division strap. As a result, Wang Cong will challenge No. 1-ranked contender Natalia Silva for the vacant flyweight title atop the UFC 332 event on CBS and Paramount+, scheduled for this Sat. night (Oct. 3, 2026) at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Check out their first face off below.

UFC 332 has been widely-panned for its lack of star power.

“I think we will shut their mouths with my performance,” Wang told MMA Junkie. “Originally, I thought I would challenge Valentina for the belt, but it’s all right. Now it’s my time to get the belt and then have her challenge me in the future. I don’t feel I need to prove myself in beating her to feel like the real flyweight champion. She’s just herself. She’s not like unbeatable or whatever. That’s what my thought is.”

I’m sure these heavyweights have a similar thought.

Win or lose, at least Silva is no longer sleeping in the gym.

“I think what brought me here was believing in myself and never quitting and continuing regardless of what happens,” Silva told UFC. “No matter what I did in my life and what I was able to accomplish, it was always a very tough journey. I have gone through a lot of challenges. There were moments that I had to live in the gym. I actually lived in the physical therapy room; I slept in a PT bed for a while. Things were never easy. And in many moments, I thought of giving up, of quitting… Always, God has strengthened me, surrounded me with people with a kind word for me.”

For the rest of the UFC 332 fight card click here.