‘Natalia Silva is No. 1 for a reason, but I’m the best striker in the world’: Wang Cong set for UFC flyweight title

Wang Cong spent much of her fighting career working towards this moment. The opponent changed, the timing was short and the order may have raised questions, but the goal remained the same. On Saturday, the Chinese fighter will get a chance to become the UFC women’s flyweight champion when she takes on No. 1 contender Natalia Silva for the vacant 125-pound title at UFC 332.“Winning the UFC title is why I switched to MMA. My mind is always there,” Wang told TimesofIndia.com ahead of her main event against Silva.The vacant women’s flyweight title became available after Valentina Shevchenko was forced to relinquish the belt due to injury. Silva, the No. 1 contender, was expected to face Shevchenko and comes to Salt Lake City with an 8-0 UFC record and a 14-fight winning streak. Her last three victories came against former champions Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas.On the other hand, the 34-year-old Wang’s journey to the flyweight title was considerably shorter. He is ranked No. 8 and has six UFC fights on a four-fight winning streak. She last defeated Tracy Cortez by unanimous decision in July. However, the difference in ranking does not seem to concern her.

Silva brings the resume, Wang confidence

“No, not at all. I believe I’m the best fighter in the world. I don’t care about ranking,” Wang said before acknowledging Silva’s credentials.“Yes, it will definitely be the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced. He’s number 1 for a reason. But I believe I’m the best striker in the world. So we’ll see on Saturday night.”Silva has built her run around speed, movement, kicks and distance control, while Wang has built a reputation for accuracy, pressure and power. Wang expects the fight to stay on the feet.“It’s short notice. I haven’t changed my training method too much. But I believe this fight will most likely be a stand up fight.”

Five-round test and a new challenge

She has also prepared for the first five-round fight of her UFC career and believes she is in good enough condition for five rounds.“I think my cardio is always good for 5 laps. I definitely did a lot of conditioning for this camp. But I believe it’s more of a mental thing.”Mental adjustment has been part of Wang’s development since the only loss of her professional MMA career. She was submitted by Gabriella Fernandes in November 2024 before responding with four straight wins over Bruno Brasil, Ariane da Silva, Eduardo Moura and Cortez.

Wang Cong’s chance to add another chapter to China’s UFC rise

The progression landed her in championship contention sooner than many expected. A win would also secure Wang a place in Chinese MMA history. Zhang Weili became the first Chinese UFC champion in 2019, while Yan Xiaonan also fought for the belt. Wang now has an opportunity to become the country’s second UFC champion.“It makes sense to me. From Sandy to kickboxing, boxing and then MMA. I always want to do something in every combat sport I compete in. And I’m just one step away from my ultimate goal,” she said.Wang also sees this moment as part of the broader rise of Chinese MMA. “It shows that China is developing fast in MMA. For the women, we have Zhang Weili and Yan Xiaonan. For the men, Song Yadong is now the No. 3 bantamweight in the world. There will definitely be more in the future.”Song, who trains alongside Wang on Team Alpha Male, was also part of her training. He gives her advice on both the strategic and mental sides of fighting for a big UFC opportunity, and there’s no indication that Wang is overwhelmed by the opportunity. Saturday will be her first UFC main event, but she doesn’t see the environment as fundamentally different.“No, I’ve been competing my whole life. I don’t see this fight that different.”At Wednesday’s media day, Wang tried to encourage Silva to bring more energy to promoting the fight, saying she felt a responsibility on both fighters to make the main event a bigger spectacle. Silva largely kept the focus on the fight itself. She made it her goal to win the UFC title regardless of who is facing her.For Wang, the implications of the victory are clear. “If I win, it will be a new era of UFC women’s flyweight. I will be in this place as long as I can.”Tune-In: Watch UFC 332 – Silva vs. Wang on Sunday 4 October 2026 from 5:30 IST Live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada) and Sony L