The vacant women’s flyweight championship is on the line at UFC 332 as Natalia Silva faces Wang Cong.
Valentina Shevchenko’s injury saw the women's pound-for-pound number one relinquish her title, with Cong stepping up on four weeks' notice.
UFC 332: Silva vs. Wang betting picks and predictions
Number one contender Natalia Silva (20-5-1) meets number eight-ranked Wang Cong (10-1-0) over five rounds in Salt Lake City.
Silva remains unbeaten inside the octagon with an 8-0 record, with her last three victories coming against former UFC champions Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas.
All three were comprehensive decision victories, with the Brazilian cementing her number one status against championship-level opposition.
The 29-year-old is now unbeaten in 14 consecutive fights dating back to 2018, and her brand of elusive striking has seen her become a tough opponent to figure out.
Cong is 5-1 in the UFC and earns her opportunity having beaten Tracey Cortez by unanimous decision in July.
The Chinese athlete is on a four-fight win streak having also defeated Bruna Brasil (UD), Ariane Lipski (UD) and Eduarda Moura (UD) on her run to this title opportunity.
Cong brings a strong combat sports pedigree having earned gold at the 2013 World Wushu Championships and 2014 Asian Games, as well as a silver medal at the 2019 Amateur Boxing World Championships.
The 34-year-old’s striking credentials have already shown in her UFC stats where she has landed an impressive 6.82 significant strikes per minute, while absorbing only 2.73.
In contrast, Silva lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute, while absorbing 2.36.
A host of contenders await the winner; while an interesting future subplot is that Cong has previously defeated vacating champion Valentina Shevchenko in kickboxing.
Natalia Silva to win + over 3.5 rounds - SGP (+115)
Silva has built nicely to this moment and it is hard to see her let this opportunity slip through her grasp.
The 29-year-old is more well-rounded than Cong and will have been drilling plenty of grappling in anticipation of facing Shevchenko.
Expect Cong to try and force some early success via her sheer striking pressure and volume.
However, Silva is defensively sound and, once she gets a grip of Cong’s timing, could take over this fight down the stretch with her movement and kicking game.
Neither athlete has built their reputation on fighting championship rounds in MMA, however Silva’s average fight time of 13:03 minutes and Cong’s 10:25 minutes shows both will likely have some sustained longevity in this bout.
It is also worth noting that Salt Lake City’s altitude is notorious for affecting pacing, with Wang having the potential to fade in the final couple of rounds, particularly if Silva can implement some grappling.
UFC 332: Silva vs. Wang odds
Silva | Wang | |
Moneyline | -205 | +170 |
By Decision or Technical Decision | +105 | +290 |
By KO, TKO or DQ | +475 | +700 |
By Submission | +1000 | +2000 |
Total Rounds | Over | Under |
1.5 | -800 | +500 |
2.5 | -450 | +320 |
3.5 | -330 | +240 |
4.5 | -260 | +195 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
