Natalia Silva secured the UFC women’s flyweight championship on Saturday by defeating Wang Cong via unanimous decision to claim the vacant title. Silva was originally scheduled to fight Valentina Shevchenko, but the champion vacated the belt due to injury. Demonstrating dominance over five rounds, Silva, now with an impressive 15-fight win streak, prevailed with judges scoring the bout 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46.
In her post-fight comments in Salt Lake City, Silva urged fans to never give up, attributing her victory to divine opportunity and recognizing Wang’s toughness. “This is just the beginning for Natalia Silva. I’m the new queen,” she declared. Shevchenko later congratulated Silva on social media while cautioning her against becoming complacent.
The co-main event saw Payton Talbott continue his ascent at bantamweight by knocking out former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, following up on his win over Henry Cejudo last year. The night featured an impressive nine first-round knockouts, surprising many who initially viewed the card as underwhelming.
Roman Kopylov caused an upset by defeating Ateba Gautier, handing the Cameroonian his first UFC loss with a brutal first-round knockout. Meanwhile, King Green expressed frustration over an early referee stoppage against Esteban Ribovics, admitting some anger towards the official.
Roberto Soldic won his UFC debut against Khaos Williams on the scorecards during the main card, while the early prelims delivered excitement with notable fighters in action. Britain’s Mick Parkin was knocked out by a spectacular knee from Brazil’s Johnny Walker. Former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos hinted at retirement after a second-round knockout loss to Alexander Hernandez, and middleweight contender Marvin Vettori fell to Ismail Naurdiev by unanimous decision.
Fan Take: Natalia Silva’s rise to champion status signals the arrival of a new force in women’s flyweight, injecting fresh energy and intrigue into the division. With rising stars and shocking upsets on the same card, UFC fans can expect an exciting and unpredictable chapter ahead for the sport.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
