Valentina Shevchenko has vacated the UFC women’s flyweight championship. The promotion announced the move Saturday during the UFC Paris broadcast, citing an undisclosed injury expected to keep her out of action for roughly a year.
Her second reign ends without a defeat. Shevchenko last competed at UFC 322 in November, taking a unanimous decision over Zhang Weili at Madison Square Garden, and she never lost the belt inside the cage.
The vacancy reshapes an event that spent weeks without a headliner. Natalia Silva and Wang Cong will now meet for the vacant 125-pound title in the UFC 332 main event on October 3 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, a booking confirmed during the same broadcast.
What Shevchenko Leaves Behind
Shevchenko (26-4-1) is a two-time flyweight champion and the most accomplished fighter the division has produced. Her second run began with a revenge win over Alexa Grasso at UFC 306 in September 2024, followed by defenses against Manon Fiorot and Zhang.
Silva (20-5-1) enters unbeaten in the UFC across eight octagon appearances, with wins over former champions Rose Namajunas, Grasso and Jessica Andrade. She has been the division’s consensus top contender for the better part of a year.
Wang (10-1) has won four straight, all by decision, and brings history to the vacancy. She beat Shevchenko by unanimous decision in a kickboxing bout at Kunlun Fight 33 in October 2015, the final kickboxing appearance of Shevchenko’s career, and has spent years pushing for the MMA version. That rivalry spilled into public view again this May, when Wang accused the champion of dodging a joint fan appearance.
The rematch Wang wanted is now on hold for at least a year. Whoever leaves Salt Lake City with the belt becomes the division’s first new champion since Shevchenko reclaimed it in 2024.
