[REVISION HISTORY]

Valentina Shevchenko injury and title vacancy

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What changed

2026-09-06 11:34 UTC → 2026-09-08 16:51 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Valentina Shevchenko initially withdrew from her scheduled bout against Natalia Silva at UFC 332 due to an undisclosed injury. This withdrawal left the October 3 event in Salt Lake City without a confirmed main event or championship fight. Following further developments, Shevchenko vacated her UFC women’s flyweight title, as the injury may prevent her from competing for up to one year. The announcement was made during the UFC Paris broadcast. Consequently, the UFC restructured the UFC 332 main event to feature Natalia Silva against Wang Cong for the vacant undisputed flyweight championship. The promotion stated that Shevchenko will be granted a title shot to reclaim her championship once she has fully recovered. Details regarding the specific nature of the injury were later provided by Shevchenko’s longtime coach, Pavel Fedotov. 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. Natalia Silva enters the championship bout on an eight-fight winning streak, including victories over former champions Rose Namajunas, Alexa Grasso, and Jessica Andrade. Wang Cong approaches the fight on a four-fight winning streak and holds a previous 2015 kickboxing victory over Shevchenko. The UFC has confirmed it will crown an undisputed champion rather than an interim one. The event is scheduled for October 3, 2026, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, and will also feature a co-headlining bout between Deiveson Figueiredo and Payton Talbott.

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