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\nNatalia Silva and Wang Cong, UFC 332 ceremonial weigh-in Credit: Youtube\/UFC<\/p>\n
UFC 332\u2019s main event between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong would see just the fourth woman in promotion history crowned flyweight champion.<\/p>\n
That was thanks to Valentina Shevchenko vacating her title due to injury, leaving number one contender Silva to face China\u2019s Wang instead. While Nicco Montano and Alexa Grasso had also (briefly) held gold in the weight class, Shevchenko was very much the face of it.<\/p>\n
Her shadow had loomed large throughout fight week; on Saturday night in Salt Lake City, Silva and Wang would look to escape from under it.<\/p>\n
With the bout underway, Silva, known for her kicks, unsurprisingly opened with one. Wang jabbed, then got out of the way of Silva\u2019s counter. Wang fired a combo, with Silva kicking again; moments later, it was Silva landing a right hand to finish off an exchange. A left hook by the Brazilian also landed as Wang moved in. Another exchange, including kicks from both women, followed. Wang was dumped off her kick, but quickly got to her feet, albeit with Silva on her, tenacious, working on a body lock. Wang fought the hands, and fired elbows. Silva answered with a knee, still pressing Wang into the cage with her body weight.<\/p>\n
The pair went back to work at range in the final minute, with Silva clearly taking the first frame.<\/p>\n
Wang fired a low kick early in round two. When Silva came in, the Chinese fighter fired a jab, then a straight, catching Silva at least once. Another Wang kick hit the mark; Natalia fired her hands and was answered with a left hand. The next major exchange saw Silva fire a kick upstairs, and Wang dropped, albeit just for a moment. Silva tied her up after that, and after a few seconds, landed the takedown, leaving Wang on her back and Silva looking to pass into side control. A few big ground strikes followed, but Wang was able to get to her feet regardless. Still, with a knockdown, a takedown, and a clear edge in offense, Silva had most certainly won the second round as well.<\/p>\n
The pair traded fire early in round three, exchanging right off the opening bell. Silva caught a kick all of 30 seconds in, taking Wang to the fence, though she was unable to keep her there. A Silva side kick then took Wang off her feet ever so briefly. Another exchange followed. The speed and kicks of Silva were clearly giving Wang Cong fits by the midway mark of the fight. Wang finally managed to get in close in the dying seconds of the frame, landing a couple good shots, but the bulk of the round favored Silva.<\/p>\n
By round four, it was clear that Wang was in need of a finish, and a different approach. She looked to press the action a little hard, the goal to take away the space Silva needed to fire off her arsenal of kicks. A right hand landed for Wang two minutes in. They clinched, Wang in control, firing knees to the body. Silva responded with a kick to the body off the break. Wang went right back to work, just missing with an overhand right. Another clinch up against the cage followed.<\/p>\n
When they came off the cage, Silva fired a spinning back kick. Wang did as well a moment later, but hers was nowhere near as slick. Wang fired a spinning elbow, but Silva briefly took her down in response. Silva then drilled Wang with a spinning kick, and fanned on a second. Wang landed a left, followed by a leg kick. A much better round for Wang Cong, though Silva picked it up late in the frame.<\/p>\n
The final round opened with Wang\u2019s corner advising her that she needed a finish. She chased Silva, firing and landing a low kick, then clinched up. Wang did a better job walking Silva down in the fifth, getting her hands going and landing a right. The problem was, she was well behind in the fight, and as her corner had noted, was in need of a finish. And when she clinched up, she was really just eating up time. Back at range, a Wang left hook connected, putting Silva on her heels. Wang moved in with a combo, and began walking the Brazilian down. Silva feigned a takedown. Wang avoided it, but Silva clinched up. 45 seconds were left on the clock. Wang separated. Silva kicked, jabbed, missed. Wang went after Silva, swinging wild. She lunged forward at the horn, winning the round without question, but almost certainly not the fight.<\/p>\n
The judges saw it that way in the end, with two scoring it three rounds to two for Silva (the last just gave Silva four rounds). Brazil\u2019s Silva becomes just the fourth UFC women\u2019s flyweight champion, with names like Alexa Grasso and the winner of Erin Blanchfield vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius looming.<\/p>\n