Brazil’s Natalia Silva claimed the vacant women’s flyweight championship Saturday night at UFC 332, securing a unanimous decision victory over China’s Wang Cong to headline a milestone card in Salt Lake City that marked the promotion’s first full main-card broadcast on CBS.
Silva (21-5-1 MMA), who extended her winning streak to 15 bouts, earned the nod across the judges’ scorecards with tallies of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46. Silva utilized low kicks and a disruptive striking rhythm to find Cong’s (10-2 MMA) chin, scoring a knockdown that anchored her lead on the cards.
While Cong showed bursts of forward aggression, she remained flat-footed in critical spots as Silva controlled the distance and tempo to secure the victory and snap Cong’s four-fight winning streak.
“I am so happy,” Silva said in her post-fight interview in the Octagon. “I want to tell this to everyone … don’t give up on anything. This belt here is because God gave me the opportunity. I knew (Cong) was a tough fighter. This fight proved why she was challenging me. This is the beginning of Natalia Silva. I’m the new queen.”
In the co-main event, rising bantamweight contender Payton Talbott (12-1 MMA) delivered a statement victory, halting former two-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (25-8-1 MMA) of Brazil with a first-round TKO at the 2:09 mark. Talbott swarmed the veteran with a blistering barrage of strikes early in the opening frame to force the referee stoppage.
In lightweight action, Argentina’s Esteban Ribovics (17-3 MMA) made quick work of veteran King Green (36-18-1, 1 NC MMA), notching a first-round TKO at the 4:08 mark. Ribovics overwhelmed Green with sharp striking combinations before putting him down and closing out the finish with unanswered follow-up strikes.
In welterweight action, Croatia’s Roberto Soldic (22-4, 1 NC MMA) made a successful UFC debut, capturing a victory by unanimous decision over veteran fighter Khaos Williams (16-6 MMA). Soldic’s unorthodox striking rhythm and creative angles kept Williams off balance across all three rounds, earning the nod on the judges’ scorecards with tallies of 29-27, 29-27, and 29-28.
In the middleweight main-card opener, Russia’s Roman Kopylov (16-5 MMA) halted the momentum of Cameroonian prospect Ateba Gautier (11-2 MMA), scoring a first-round TKO at the 3:12 mark. Kopylov utilized his veteran timing and southpaw stance to connect with clean punches early before staggering Gautier with a sharp straight left hand. The Russian immediately swarmed with follow-up strikes on the canvas to secure the stoppage, ending Gautier’s 10-fight winning streak.
–Field Level Media
