Shevchenko Vacates UFC Women’s Flyweight Title Due to Shoulder Injury, Silva-Cong Set for UFC 332

After weeks of delays and behind-the-scenes negotiations, UFC 332 in Salt Lake City, Utah has secured a championship main event with Natalia Silva facing Wang Cong for the vacant women’s flyweight title.

This raises questions about the belt previously held by Valentina Shevchenko, who had defended it nine times since 2018 across two championship reigns. The title is now vacant following Shevchenko’s withdrawal from her scheduled October 3 bout against Silva due to injury. While initial announcements cited a “Bullet” injury, further details emerged from Shevchenko’s longtime coach Pavel Fedotov.

“We were supposed to fight on October 3 against Natalia Silva, but due to an injury to the ligaments in the shoulder and back, we decided not to push things and postpone the fight,” Fedotov explained in a statement (via Ushatayka). “Given that the recovery will take a long time, we’ve made the decision to temporarily vacate the belt, and once she recovers, she will fight for it again.”

Fedotov indicated that the expected recovery timeline spans approximately eight months, leading to the decision to vacate the championship rather than wait for Shevchenko’s return.

In previous eras, similar injuries with extended recovery periods typically resulted in interim title opportunities. However, the UFC has increasingly adopted a policy requiring injured champions to relinquish their belts when recovery timelines extend significantly. Notable examples include Jamahal Hill following his Achilles tendon rupture and Jiri Prochazka after his shoulder injury, both of whom vacated their titles without ultimately reclaiming them.

This approach has sparked debate about fighter compensation for surrendering hard-earned championship opportunities. Neither Hill nor Prochazka managed to regain their respective titles after stepping away. Whether Shevchenko will face a similar outcome upon her return remains uncertain, though Fedotov has indicated she intends to pursue the title once fully recovered.

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