Silva's coach predicts striking spectacle as Brazilian targets historic UFC 332 flyweight title

Natalia Silva will challenge Cong Wang for the vacant UFC women’s flyweight title at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on October 3, headlining UFC 332 — and her coach is confident the bout will silence doubters while delivering a striking showcase.

The fight came together after Valentina Shevchenko vacated the championship due to injury, forcing Silva’s camp to overhaul months of preparation at short notice. Coach Carlos Costa revealed the team had spent considerable time studying Shevchenko’s takedown-heavy game before the late change.

“We had been preparing for Valentina for months and doing a full technical study of the champion,” Costa told Sherdog. “We were especially focused on takedowns, since Valentina had been taking down a lot of her opponents. Our main focus was timing on entries and distance control. When the UFC told us she was out of the fight, and it happened somewhat at the last minute, we completely changed the focus of our training. It was a huge surprise to us, especially since Cong was ranked No. 6.”

Despite the disruption, Costa is bullish about the matchup itself. He pushed back on criticism that Wang — ranked sixth at the time of her selection — was an unworthy main-event opponent, arguing the Chinese contender’s style will make for a memorable contest.

“Because not many people know Cong, there were complaints about her being in a main event, but I think a lot of people are going to be surprised by this fight,” Costa said. “Especially because of their styles. In my opinion, Natalia and Cong are the two best strikers in the division. I’m sure that once these girls put on a show in the Octagon, the public’s perception will change dramatically. I don’t know if the win will come in the first or fifth round. I just know victory is coming. Natalia is ready to become the first Brazilian female champion at 125 pounds.”

Silva arrives on a remarkable 14-fight winning streak and remains unbeaten across all her UFC appearances, carrying a professional record of 20-5-1. Wang brings her own momentum into the bout, entering at 10-1 with four consecutive victories, most recently a unanimous decision win over Tracy Cortez.