Natalia Silva Claims Vacant Flyweight Crown With Decision Over Wang Cong
Natalia Silva became the UFC women’s flyweight champion with a unanimous decision over Wang Cong, surviving the challenger’s late push after building her advantage across the first three rounds.
The judges scored the five-round title fight 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 for Silva at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City on Saturday. The new champion’s clearest moment came in the second round, when a head kick knocked Wang down. Silva took the first three rounds on all three scorecards and outlanded Wang 109-98 in significant strikes, adding three takedowns.
Wang’s best work came in the fourth and fifth rounds, and she won both on all three cards, but the rally did not erase Silva’s earlier lead. The decision made Silva the fourth undisputed champion in the division’s history and filled the vacancy left when Valentina Shevchenko gave up the title because of injury. Shevchenko is expected to be out for about a year, and she responded after the fight by telling Silva to keep her belt warm.