Shevchenko's Coach Reveals Injury Leading to Title Vacant
Valentina Shevchenko's coach has announced that an injury led the former flyweight champion to vacate her title prior to UFC 332.
Pavel Fedotov explained that Shevchenko sustained ligament damage to her shoulder and back, which prevented her from participating in a scheduled fight against Natalia Silva on October 3. The recovery process is expected to take nearly a year, prompting the decision to vacate the championship to avoid delaying the division.
The UFC has confirmed that Silva will face Wang Cong for the vacant title in Salt Lake City. Shevchenko, who has nine successful title defenses, ranks fourth in UFC history for title fight victories. No return date has been announced for her, following her last fight at UFC 322 in November 2025.
