Natalia Silva dominates Wang Cong to win flyweight…
SALT LAKE CITY — Natalia Silva unanimously outpointed Wang Cong to declare the vacant UFC ladies’s flyweight championship Saturday evening at UFC 332.
Silva (21-5-1) prolonged her successful streak to 15 bouts after largely dominating Wang (10-2) over 5 rounds.
“This is incredible for me,” Silva said. “I have worked hard for this moment and now I am the new (champion) and I am so so so happy.”
Silva went from challenger to favourite in the title bout after Valentina Shevchenko vacated the title practically a month in the past because of back and shoulder accidents. She proved far more aggressive than Wang early, utilizing her velocity, fluid motion, and strong legs to create an benefit.
Natalia Silva celebrates after defeating Wang Cong to win the UFC flyweight title during UFC 332 at Delta Center on Oct. 3, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Zuffa LLC
Silva knocked Wang to the canvas halfway through the second spherical with a sharp head kick. She stored Wang on her heels with her fast hanging capability through the next two rounds and linked on other roundhouse kicks.
Wang fought back in the ultimate spherical, but Silva landed enough blows to keep in control and had successful scores of 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 from the judges.
“I think if she had stepped on the gas a little earlier, it would have been a completely different fight,” UFC President Dana White said.
Payton Talbott earned a victory via TKO over Delveson Figueiredo with 2:51 left in the first spherical of the bantamweight bout billed as the co-main event.
Talbott (12-1) dominated Figueiredo (25-8-1) from the start of the struggle. He put him on the canvas early with a right-handed strike and then delivered an elbow along the fence that despatched Figueiredo reeling.
Talbott pressed his benefit, raining down blows and forcing his opponent to cowl up until he compelled a TKO.
“Definitely thought he was going to be more durable,” Talbott said.
It marked a profitable return to the octagon for the Nevada fighter after going 10 months between bouts.
Natalia Silva kicks Wang Cong en route to successful the flyweight title at UFC 332 at Delta Center on Oct. 3, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Talbott said he wished the latest bout had not ended so rapidly.
“I wanted to just feel that war,” Talbott said. “I’m really happy to get the finish because it’s been a while since I got that finish. Deep down, that’s who I am. I chase finishes. But, yeah, I definitely wanted it to come a little bit later in the fight.”
Roman Kopylov defeated Ateba Gautier by TKO with 3:12 remaining in the first spherical of the middleweight bout that served as the first of three main card fights main into the co-main event. Kopylov swarmed Gautier with a number of clean strikes before finally dropping him to the canvas with a left-handed blow. He earned his second UFC victory of the yr while handing Gautier his second profession defeat.
UFC newcomer Roberto Soldic debuted with a unanimous determination victory, scoring 29-28, 29-27, 29-27 over Khaos Williams in the welterweight bout. The struggle lasted all three rounds, but Soldic dominated his opponent throughout with well timed blows and bottled him up on the canvas at the end of each of the first two rounds.
Esteban Ribovics edged King Green by TKO with 52 seconds to go in the first spherical of the light-weight bout. Ribovics dropped Green to the canvas 3 times with well-timed strikes, overwhelming him after the third fall.
White reported a gate of $2.7 million for the event with 16,492 followers in attendance.
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