Valentina Shevchenko has suffered an injury, forcing her bout against Natalia Silva at UFC 332 to be cancelled. No replacement fight has been announced.
Valentina Shevchenko has been forced out of her scheduled UFC 332 main event against Natalia Silva due to injury, with the October 3 card now minus one of its marquee bouts. No replacement fight has been announced for either fighter.
Shevchenko, the reigning Women's Flyweight champion, was set to defend her title against the division's top-ranked contender. The 38-year-old southpaw from Kyrgyzstan carries a professional record of 26-4-1 and trains out of Tiger Muay Thai. Known for her technical precision, "Bullet" lands 3.14 significant strikes per minute at a 52 percent accuracy rate, while also posing a consistent grappling threat with 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Silva, the number-one contender, entered the matchup on the strength of a 20-5-1 record and a high-volume striking style. The 29-year-old Brazilian southpaw out of Team Borracha lands an eye-catching 4.81 significant strikes per minute, making her one of the more active offensive flyweights in the division. At five-foot-four with a 65-inch reach, she had presented a physically competitive matchup for the champion.
Why it matters
- Shevchenko's title defense is now in limbo with no timeline given for her return
- Silva, ranked first in the division, loses her long-awaited championship opportunity without a new date set
- UFC 332 loses a high-profile women's flyweight title fight from its lineup
- The injury further delays resolution of the 125-pound title picture, which Silva has been chasing
Saturday, October 3, 2026
