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Wang Cong is just one fight away from reaching the biggest achievement of her MMA career. The Chinese contender will face Brazil’s Natalia Silva for the vacant UFC women’s flyweight championship at UFC 332 on October 3 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The bout will headline the event and marks the first UFC main event for both fighters.
For Wang, the opportunity represents the culmination of a rapid rise since she joined the UFC in 2024. The 34 year old has already experienced a setback inside the Octagon, but she has responded with four consecutive victories to put herself in position to fight for championship gold.
Wang Cong Has Been Chasing UFC Gold Since Joining the Promotion
Wang made an immediate impression in her UFC debut in August 2024, stopping Victoria Leonardo in just 62 seconds. The victory earned her a Performance of the Night bonus and became the second fastest knockout and finish in UFC women’s flyweight history at the time.
Her second UFC appearance did not go according to plan. Wang suffered her first professional MMA defeat against Gabriella Fernandes in Macau, losing by submission in the second round. Instead of allowing the setback to derail her progress, Wang has used it as a learning experience.
She has since recorded four consecutive unanimous decision victories over Bruna Brasil, Ariane da Silva, Eduarda Moura and Tracy Cortez. Her victory over Cortez at UFC 329 was particularly important because Wang dominated the fight despite receiving a point deduction. That run has now taken her to her first UFC championship fight.
Wang Cong Wants to Finish the Job
Wang has made it clear that winning the UFC championship has been a long term objective since she signed with the promotion.
“Since I signed with UFC, getting the belt was always my goal,” Wang told UFC.com.
Her confidence comes from a striking game that has already produced several impressive performances inside the Octagon. According to UFC statistics, Wang currently owns the highest significant strike accuracy in the women’s flyweight division at 58.2 percent and ranks second in significant strikes landed per minute at eight.
Those numbers underline why the matchup with Silva is expected to feature significant exchanges on the feet.
Wang herself expects the fight to remain primarily a striking contest. She has identified Silva’s footwork, distance control, kicking game and grappling as areas she has studied, while pointing to her own distance management and punching and kicking power as important factors.
Natalia Silva Presents a Major Challenge
Standing opposite Wang will be one of the most experienced contenders in the UFC flyweight division. Silva enters the fight with a 14 fight winning streak inside the UFC, including victories over former champions Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas. She has also won eight consecutive UFC fights since making her promotional debut in 2022.
The Brazilian has developed a reputation for her speed, footwork and ability to control distance. Her background in taekwondo has played an important role in her striking style, while her grappling background gives her another route to victory.
UFC statistics list Silva with a 90.3 percent takedown defense, the highest mark in the division. That creates an interesting matchup because Wang has also shown a preference for fighting at striking range.
Wang Has Already Beaten a UFC Legend Outside MMA
There is another layer to Wang’s championship opportunity. Before entering MMA, Wang competed in kickboxing and faced former UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko in 2015. Wang won that bout by unanimous decision to capture the Kunlun Fight bantamweight kickboxing championship.
Shevchenko later became one of the most successful champions in UFC women’s history. She was originally expected to remain involved in the title picture, but an injury forced her out and ultimately left the flyweight championship vacant. That opened the door for Silva and Wang to compete for the undisputed title at UFC 332.
Wang has previously said that she would welcome another fight with Shevchenko, this time inside the UFC Octagon. For now, however, her attention is firmly on Silva.
A New Chapter for Chinese MMA
Wang’s championship opportunity also represents another significant moment for Chinese MMA. The Shanghai native has trained at the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai and has also spent time at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento. Fellow Chinese UFC fighter Song Yadong has supported her preparations and is expected to be in her corner for the title fight.
Wang now has the opportunity to become a UFC champion on one of the biggest stages of her career. UFC 332 will also be the first UFC main event for both Wang and Silva, meaning both fighters are preparing for the possibility of competing across five rounds for the first time in their UFC careers. The event will also take place at altitude in Salt Lake City, potentially adding another element to the championship contest.
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