Silva locks #1 contender spot, targets Shevchenko

Reports indicate Natalia Silva has claimed the number one contender position in the women's flyweight division following her victory over Rose Namajunas on the UFC 324 main card, reportedly setting up a future title shot against champion Valentina Shevchenko. This story has not been officially confirmed by the UFC.

Silva, 29, carries a record of 20-5-1 and trains out of Team Borracha in Brazil. The southpaw stands five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach and has been one of the division's more active strikers, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute. Previously ranked fifth at flyweight, her performance at UFC 324 is said to have propelled her to the top of the contender queue.

Shevchenko, the reigning flyweight champion, holds a 26-4-1 record and is coming off a reported title defense against Zhang Weili at UFC 322. The 38-year-old Kyrgyzstan native, who trains at Tiger Muay Thai, is a southpaw measuring five-foot-five with a 66-inch reach. She lands 3.14 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and also averages 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes, making her a complete and dangerous opponent from any range.

Why it matters

• Silva's aggressive output, nearly five significant strikes per minute, would test Shevchenko's defensive discipline across the flyweight limit
• Shevchenko's grappling threat, nearly three takedowns per 15 minutes, poses a serious challenge for a fighter with minimal submission attempts on record
• A potential Shevchenko-Silva matchup would represent a generational collision at the top of a division Shevchenko has long controlled
• The first 2026 rankings update following UFC 324 signals the flyweight title picture may be taking clear shape heading into the summer