Coach: Natalia Silva vs. Cong Wang at UFC 332 Will Be a Striking Showcase

Natalia Silva is set to fight for the vacant Ultimate Fighting Championship women's flyweight title against Cong Wang in the main event of UFC 332 on Oct. 3 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The vacant championship bout was put together after former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko relinquished the belt due to an injury.

Silva's coach, Carlos Costa, revealed to Sherdog that their camp had originally spent months preparing exclusively for Shevchenko before the sudden opponent switch. "We had been preparing for Valentina for months and doing a full technical study of the champion," Costa said, noting their primary focus had been defending takedowns, timing entries, and controlling distance. When the promotion notified them of Shevchenko's withdrawal, the team had to completely pivot their training to accommodate Wang, who stepped in ranked No. 6 in the division.

Despite the last-minute change and some outside criticism regarding the matchup, Costa is confident the headliner will produce a thrilling clash on the feet. "In my opinion, Natalia and Cong are the two best strikers in the division," Costa told Sherdog, adding that the public's perception will change once the two put on a show inside the Octagon. Costa emphasized that Silva is fully prepared to become the first Brazilian female champion at 125 pounds, regardless of whether the finish comes in the opening round or the fifth.

Silva (20-5-1) enters the vacant title showdown riding a 14-fight winning streak and remains undefeated inside the Octagon. Meanwhile, Wang brings a 10-1 professional record into the contest, backed by a four-fight winning streak.