\n<\/p>\n
Last night (Sat., Oct. 3, 2026), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ventured forth to Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah for UFC 332. As it turned out, the heavily maligned numbered event \u2014 which also aired on CBS \u2014 turned out to be a rather fun night of fights! Even without much name value on the line, the athletes consistently came to fight and put on a show. In addition, a new Flyweight champion was crowned, setting the tone for the division\u2019s future in a potentially Valentina Shevchenko-less field.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a closer look at the best performances and highlight finishes of the evening:<\/p>\n
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 03: (R-L) Natalia Silva of Brazil kicks Wang Cong of China in the UFC flyweight championship fight during the UFC 332 event at Delta Center on October 03, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Cooper Neill\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n
Natalia<\/strong> Silva<\/strong> was so much faster than Wang Cong<\/strong> at the start of the fight.<\/p>\n Cong would step forward to punch or kick and before she even completed that initial offering, Silva would throw three punches or interrupt her outright with a side kick. Cong couldn\u2019t help but walk into left hooks repeatedly, as Silva was just getting her weapon to the target with unmatched quickness. She also did good work in using wrestling to stall Cong then breaking away with her own offense.<\/p>\n Cong started to build a bit of success in the second, landing some chopping low kicks and right hands. Before she could build any momentum, however, Silva floored her with a sneaky lead leg high kick. That was a major setback to her progress and ultimately loomed large over the eventual outcome of the fight.<\/p>\n By round three, the fight was competitive. In the fourth and fifth, Cong\u2019s pressure and low kicks added up to the point that she was landing the better shots, effectively cornering Silva along the fence more often. Silva still threw back, but she was wearing it after the final 10 minutes. The main event didn\u2019t have the knockdowns or dramatic momentum shifts of an instant classic, but it was a reasonably fun and competitive battle for all five rounds.<\/p>\n As a result of her strong start, Silva walked away with UFC gold. She\u2019s once again lined up for a showdown with Shevchenko, only now she\u2019ll do so as defending champion. Although, the timeline for Shevchenko\u2019s return is unclear, so maybe there\u2019s time for an Alexa Grasso<\/strong> rematch or Erin Blanchfield<\/strong> title shot before then.<\/p>\n SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 03: Payton Talbott punches Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil in a bantamweight fight during the UFC 332 event at Delta Center on October 03, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n I don\u2019t mean to go full hipster, but I\u2019ve been sold on Payton Talbott<\/strong> for longer than the rest of you! When he knocked out two of my friends on the regional scene in 2022, it was immediately obvious that the random kid from Reno was an incredible talent \u2014 particularly if you were watching his violence unfold cageside.<\/p>\n Four years later, Talbott is still utterly destroying his opposition, they just so happen to be former UFC champions now. Talbott treated Deiveson Figueiredo<\/strong> like an amateur, walking him down and lancing him with long range, powerful strikes. \u201cFiggy\u201d is famously tough and durable, yet he dropped repeatedly and looked haggard just 90 seconds into the contest.<\/p>\n Talbott might be the sport\u2019s most effective snowball right now. Give him even an inch, and he\u2019s suddenly gaining an irreversible amount of momentum. He hits any available target from every range, keeping his foot on the gas and breaking down his opponents in record time.<\/p>\n He\u2019s one of the best Bantamweights in the world right now<\/em>. The Raoni Barcelos<\/strong> loss was a necessary lesson, but it\u2019s been most of two years, and Talbott has improved massively since then. He called out Sean O\u2019Malley<\/strong>, and that\u2019s the kind of matchup he deserves.<\/p>\n I doubt the UFC will book it though \u2026 but maybe Mario Bautista<\/strong> will sign the dotted line?<\/p>\n SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 03: (R-L) Esteban Ribovics of Argentina punches King Green in a lightweight fight during the UFC 332 event at Delta Center on October 03, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n King Green<\/strong>\u2019s incredible 2026 run came to an end at the hands of Esteban Ribovics<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Green had his moments. He used his jabs and front kicks to settle down Ribovics after a chaotic opening minute, and then he started connecting. Green was faking and feinting to freeze his foe, then he would crack him with a straight punch that split the guard. He was building momentum and looking sharp.<\/p>\n The problem is that Ribovics is a decade younger and kept his eyes on the prize. He didn\u2019t get pushed off course by Green\u2019s antics or success. Even when Ribovics missed badly, he would continue to extend his combination and chase after the veteran. Late in the first, he found the mark, flooring Green close to the fence with his fifth punch of a combination.<\/p>\n Once Ribovics had his opponent hurt, he didn\u2019t let up. He ended up dropping Green three times, and the third knockdown arrived right when it seemed like Green might survive the round. Instead, the referee moved in to save him from further damage.<\/p>\n Win or lose, both Lightweights are some of the most exciting, must-watch fighters on the roster.<\/p>\n SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 03: Roman Kopylov of Russia punches Ateba Gautier of Cameroon in a middleweight fight during the UFC 332 event at Delta Center on October 03, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n Roman Kopylov<\/strong> just destroyed Ateba Gautier<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Gautier is an outrageous athlete with massive power, which is a problem for all sorts of MMA fighters. However, one of the best possible solutions to overcome raw athleticism is pure kickboxing skill. Few MMA fighters are truly comfortable when knockout punches are flying in their direction. As such, Gautier is accustomed to bullying his opponents, making them uncomfortable in exchanges. If they try to wrestle, his physical strength makes that a difficult play, particularly from the back foot.<\/p>\n Kopylov never grew flustered, however. He maintained his distance, stabbed at Gautier with kicks and straight punches, and forced Gautier\u2019s footwork to come into the limelight. When faced with smart distance hitting and dangerous counter punches, Gautier couldn\u2019t just bully his way forward \u2014 no amount of muscle lets a fighter walk through shots painlessly.<\/p>\n Gautier quickly found himself stuck at a distance he didn\u2019t have the tools to navigate. If he pushed forward, he was countered, and if he hung back, he was getting picked apart. The damage added up, and a left hand sat him down for his first UFC loss midway through the first round.<\/p>\n Credit to Kopylov: it takes bravery and experience to remain composed in front of a big hitter like Gautier. As a result of his moxie, he just picked up the best win of his career in a near-flawless victory!<\/p>\n SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 03: Alden Coria reacts after a kick from Imanol Rodriguez of Mexico in a flyweight fight during the UFC 332 event at Delta Center on October 03, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n Imanol Rodriguez<\/strong> is the real deal.<\/p>\n Against a fellow top prospect in Alden Coria<\/strong>, Rodriguez separated himself as a possible future champion. From the first bell, Coria was outright shocked by his opponent\u2019s speed and power. Each time Rodriguez exploded forward, Coria withdrew, unsure how to answer the offense coming at him. For context, Coria is the more experienced fighter and has a trio of UFC wins already.<\/p>\n \u201cHiman\u201d is just that dangerous.<\/p>\n Before too long, he was landing. Every punch that connected hurt, but then Rodriguez stabbed a brilliant front kick right through the middle of Coria that produced a scream in the cage. Coria crumbled, and Rodriguez picked up just his seventh professional win at a mere 26 years of age. Based on his athleticism and growth, Rodriguez has an extremely bright future ahead of him.<\/p>\n LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 30: Damian Pinas of Suriname reacts after a knockout victory against Vitor Costa of Brazil in a middleweight bout during Dana White\u2019s Contender Series season nine, week eight at UFC APEX on September 30, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n Damian Pinas<\/strong> hits so hard.<\/p>\n There\u2019s nothing else to be said. Andrey Pulyaev<\/strong> went three rounds with a noted knockout artist in Ateba Gautier<\/strong>, and then Pinas utterly destroyed him with a single uppercut. Pinas is not over-swinging either; this is innate, outrageous power. He\u2019s certainly earned a shot at a ranked opponent after a trio of ridiculous knockout wins.<\/p>\n On the flip side, I kind of feel bad for Pulyaev. UFC keeps throwing him in the cage with blue-chip prospects or far more experienced opponents. There\u2019s lots of slop available at 185 pounds \u2014 give him a more reasonable opponent at least once!<\/p>\n SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 03: Johnny Walker of Brazil knees Mick Parkin of England in a heavyweight fight during the UFC 332 event at Delta Center on October 03, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n I have been arguing for Johnny Walker<\/strong> to move to Heavyweight since 2022.<\/p>\n His extended Light Heavyweight stay never made any sense. Absolutely gigantic for the division, Walker was killing himself to make weight and is also famously chinny \u2014 perhaps there\u2019s a correlation there?!? Furthermore, it was clear years ago that Walker was not a true title threat at 205 pounds, so why spend so much time in absolute misery dieting and cutting weight?<\/p>\n Opposite Mick Parkin<\/strong>, Walker looked at home in his new weight class (where he fought for years in Brazil prior to joining the UFC). He was not significantly smaller than Parkin, a highly-touted up-and-comer with just a single previous loss on his record. After a slow start, Walker grabbed onto a double-collar tie and erased Parkin with a brutal knee in the very first round. Clearly, the power has translated into his new division!<\/p>\n I\u2019m not saying Walker will go on to win Heavyweight gold, but this is a much better home for the wacky Brazilian knockout artist.<\/p>\n SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 03: (L-R) Jacobe Smith punches Bruce Whitehead in a welterweight fight during the UFC 332 event at Delta Center on October 03, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n There are still a lot of unknowns surrounding Jacobe Smith<\/strong>, an All-American wrestler who advanced to 13-0 with his win over short-notice replacement Bruce Whitehead<\/strong>. For example, what happens if somebody stops his takedowns or drags his fights long? He\u2019s the exact kind of wildly explosive athlete that one would expect to slow down if forced to work hard in a long, grinding fight.<\/p>\n That\u2019s all hypothetical though. What we DO know is that Smith has frightening ground strikes and elite athleticism. Whitehead was holding his own with Smith for a moment, and yet he was unconscious within 15 seconds of getting taken down. Short, seemingly innocuous punches from Smith are turning off the lights. It\u2019s both hugely impressive and genuinely shocking.<\/p>\n It\u2019s going to be a lot of fun to watch Smith try his hand versus a ranked opponent in the near future.<\/p>\n SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 03: Rafael Dos Anjos of Brazil punches Alexander Hernandez in a lightweight fight during the UFC 332 event at Delta Center on October 03, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n For about four minutes and 55 seconds, Rafael dos Anjos<\/strong> was back.<\/p>\n \u201cRDA,\u201d who turns 42 in a few weeks, bullied Alexander Hernandez<\/strong> with his trademark pressure and southpaw combination striking. He backed the younger man to the fence and forced him to frantically switch directions. Hernandez has developed into a solid counter puncher, but he was still flustered by dos Anjos\u2019 accurate punching and excellent cage-cutting. A couple body kicks left a visible imprint of a shin across Hernandez\u2019s torso. There were a couple moments where dos Anjos saw a shot coming, slipped his head off line, and ripped a powerful overhand or right hook to the body. In those instances, it really felt like the exact man who dominated Anthony Pettis<\/strong> was back in the Octagon.<\/p>\n Sadly, it\u2019s not 2015 anymore.<\/p>\n In the closing seconds of the first, Hernandez timed dos Anjos with a right hand that hurt the former champion. From there, Hernandez looked for his right hand counter with a renewed confidence. A southpaw jab dropped \u201cRDA\u201d early in round two, then Hernandez knocked him out a couple minutes later when the Brazilian tried to regain his footing along the fence.<\/p>\n At his age, it\u2019s no surprise that dos Anjos couldn\u2019t really recover from getting rocked. He took his gloves off in the cage, and I hope the Brazilian legend sticks to retirement moving forward. While he has nothing left to prove, it was still quite nice to enjoy a round of vintage Rafael dos Anjos pressure fighting one last time.<\/p>\nPayton Talbott, Future Champion<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
A Future Flyweight Contender<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
The Frightening Rise of Jacobe Smith Continues<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
RDA Turns Back The Clock \u2026 For One Round<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
\n
For complete <\/strong>UFC 332 results and play-by-play, click here.<\/strong><\/h5>\n