Valentina Shevchenko vacates UFC flyweight title due to injury

Valentina Shevchenko’s UFC flyweight title has been vacated due to injuries, according to her longtime coach, Pavel Fedotov. Shevchenko was originally scheduled to defend her belt against Natalia Silva on October 3 at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City.

Fedotov revealed that Shevchenko is suffering from ligament damage in her shoulder and back. Because the recovery process is expected to take up to eight months, the decision was made to temporarily vacate the title rather than force a premature return.

As a result, the UFC has restructured the UFC 332 card, setting a matchup between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong for the vacant flyweight championship. Shevchenko is expected to have the opportunity to compete for the title again once she has fully recovered.