Natalia Silva locked up the next women's flyweight title shot after defeating Rose Namajunas on the UFC 324 main card. Silva, who was already ranked #2 in the divisional rankings heading into the event, is now officially the #1 contender at 125 pounds. The Brazilian will challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the undisputed women's flyweight championship, representing a fresh matchup for 'Bullet' after she successfully defended her title against Weili Zhang's double-champ bid at UFC 322.
Reports indicate Natalia Silva has secured the next women's flyweight title shot following a victory over Rose Namajunas on the UFC 324 main card, though the contender designation has not yet been officially confirmed by the promotion.
Silva, 29, carries a record of 20-5-1 and enters the picture as one of the division's most aggressive strikers. The Brazilian southpaw out of Team Borracha lands an eye-catching 4.81 significant strikes per minute, among the highest output in the 125-pound division. Standing five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach, she was ranked fifth in the flyweight standings heading into UFC 324 and would leap to the front of the contender line should the matchup be confirmed.
Standing across from her at UFC 324 was Rose Namajunas, ranked sixth at flyweight and a veteran presence in women's mixed martial arts. The 34-year-old from the United States trains out of 303 Training Center and holds a record of 15-8-0. Namajunas lands 3.5 significant strikes per minute at 41 percent accuracy and adds 1.47 takedowns per 15 minutes to her game.
Awaiting the winner is Valentina Shevchenko, the reigning undisputed women's flyweight champion. The Kyrgyzstan-born southpaw, now 38, holds a record of 26-4-1 and trains out of Tiger Muay Thai. Shevchenko is precise and relentless, connecting at 52 percent striking accuracy while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes. The summary notes she most recently defended her title against a double-champion challenge from Weili Zhang at UFC 322.
Why it matters
- Silva's high-volume striking style would present a different look than recent Shevchenko opponents
- A confirmed booking would reshuffle the top of a flyweight division that Shevchenko has long dominated
- Both Silva and Shevchenko are southpaws, adding a technical wrinkle to any potential championship bout
- The story remains unconfirmed, meaning official matchmaking announcements would be required before the fight is set
