Natalia Silva is finally a UFC champion. The Brazilian picked up a unanimous decision win over Wang Cong in the UFC 332 main event to capture the vacant women’s flyweight title. With the win, Silva became just the fourth undisputed champion in the division’s history, which was introduced in 2017.
Nicco Montaño became the inaugural champion, while Valentina Shevchenko went on to become the division’s most dominant and recognizable champion. Alexa Grasso was the third fighter to hold the undisputed title. The fight may not have matched the wild action seen elsewhere on the card, but Silva put on a smart and composed performance. She used her speed, distance management, and kicking game to frustrate Cong for most of the 25 minutes.
The title was up for grabs after Shevchenko vacated the belt following a back and shoulder injury. When the final horn sounded, the judges scored the fight 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46, all in Silva’s favor.
With the win, Silva extended her UFC winning streak to nine and became just the fourth undisputed women’s flyweight champion in UFC history.
Natalia Silva’s Speed and Leg Dexterity Help Her Outpoint Wang Cong
The methodical action understandably frustrated the crowd, especially on a card that produced a record-breaking amount of violence. UFC 332 saw 11 knockouts, including nine in the first round, along with 16 knockdowns.
Silva, however, had the fight under control from the opening bell. She landed a clean left hook early that caused swelling around Cong’s right eye before beating the Chinese fighter to the punch and finding success with combinations in the clinch.
The second round was arguably Silva’s best moment of the fight. Her speed was causing Cong all sorts of problems as the Chinese contender tried to pressure her and cut off the Octagon. Silva stayed composed, constantly circling and landing shots before briefly dropping Cong with a head kick.
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Cong became more competitive as the fight progressed. Her corner repeatedly urged her to move forward, and she increased the pressure in the third and fourth rounds. Silva was still able to manage the distance, though, and she finished the fourth strongly with a spinning back kick that was partially blocked but still drew a big reaction from the crowd.
Cong saved her best moment for the fifth round. She landed a hard left hook that appeared to hurt Silva, forcing the Brazilian to retreat as Cong followed up with another right hand. However, Cong did not fully commit to the finish, and Silva was able to survive the final moments.
The fight essentially had a shift in tone as it progressed. Silva was clearly the faster fighter early on, repeatedly making Cong miss while picking her apart from range. But as the rounds went on, Silva slowed down and Cong began finding her rhythm, particularly from the third round onward.
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Still, Silva’s strong start proved to be enough. She won the majority of the rounds and walked away with the biggest prize of her career. The victory also extends Silva’s overall winning streak to 15 fights. Along the way, she has now beaten three former UFC champions in a row, defeating Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso, and Rose Namajunas before finally getting her hands on UFC gold.
For Cong, the loss snaps a four-fight winning streak and marks her first setback in the UFC since joining the promotion. As for what comes next, the division could have a familiar face waiting in the wings.
Shevchenko’s return timeline remains unclear, while the UFC has indicated that former champion Alexa Grasso is expected to be next for the winner of the UFC 332 main event. Grasso most recently defeated Manon Fiorot at Noche UFC in September.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
