UFC 332: vacant title and confirmed card changes

UFC 332 will feature Natalia Silva against Wang Cong for the vacant women’s flyweight title because Valentina Shevchenko told the promotion that she would be unable to compete for at least one year. The event takes place Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. In the United States, its three segments begin at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern — 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific.

The card also has two confirmed changes: Anthony Romero replaces Bernardo Sopaj against Marcus McGhee, with the bout now taking place at featherweight, and Jacobe Smith meets promotional newcomer Bruce Whitehead in a newly added welterweight contest.

Why the title is vacant

The official explanation concerns the champion’s availability. When announcing Silva vs. Wang, UFC said Shevchenko was removed from the matchup after telling the promotion that she would be unable to compete for at least a year. The main event will consequently be for the undisputed championship, not an interim belt.

That distinction matters: the winner at Delta Center will be presented as the division’s champion. In the supplied sources, UFC did not disclose the reason for Shevchenko’s absence or set a date for her return. There is therefore no basis for assigning a diagnosis or forecasting when she might compete again.

UFC’s official title-fight announcement confirms both the vacancy and the condition reported by the former champion.

Natalia Silva and Wang Cong enter in strong form

Natalia Silva enters the main event on an official 14-fight winning streak. According to UFC, her three latest appearances ended in wins over Rose Namajunas, Alexa Grasso and Jessica Andrade. The Brazilian’s UFC profile lists a 20-5-1 record, five knockout wins and seven submission victories.

Wang Cong has a 10-1 record on her official UFC profile. It credits her with two knockout wins, two submissions and three first-round victories. In the event announcement, UFC adds that the Chinese contender has won four consecutive Octagon appearances and most recently defeated Tracy Cortez at UFC 329 in July 2026.

Those figures provide context for the selection of the challengers but do not determine how the bout will unfold. The established fact before the event is that they will fight directly for the vacant championship in the headliner.

Bernardo Sopaj’s replacement

Bernardo Sopaj withdrew from his fight against Marcus McGhee because of an injury, according to the official UFC 332 update. Anthony Romero was selected as his replacement and will make his UFC debut.

The switch also changed the weight class: McGhee vs. Romero will take place at featherweight, whereas the originally scheduled McGhee-Sopaj contest was a bantamweight bout. UFC says Romero has earned finishes in six of his seven victories, useful background for the newcomer but not a prediction of the result.

The source provides neither a diagnosis for Sopaj nor a recovery timetable. The confirmed information is limited to his injury withdrawal, Romero’s arrival and the divisional change.

A new bout was added

UFC also added Jacobe Smith vs. Bruce Whitehead to the lineup. It is a welterweight contest and will serve as Whitehead’s promotional debut.

According to the update, Whitehead finished five of his eight wins in the opening round, including four in 48 seconds or less. The announcement does not say that this addition replaced another matchup, so it should be understood as an extra fight on the published card.

Other bouts highlighted by UFC include Payton Talbott vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Damian Pinas vs. Andrey Pulyaev, King Green vs. Esteban Ribovics, Ateba Gautier vs. Roman Kopylov and Imanol Rodríguez vs. Alden Coria. Cards can change through event day, so readers should check the official listing before the action begins.

Official United States start times

The published schedule for Saturday, October 3, uses U.S. Eastern and Pacific time:

• Early prelims: 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT;
• Prelims: 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT;
• Main card: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.

UFC says the full event will stream on Paramount+ in the United States and that the main card will also air on CBS. Those distribution details apply only to the U.S. market. They do not establish channels or availability in Brazil, Portugal, Spain or France.

Because schedules and distribution can change, the safest course is to review the UFC update page close to the start.

Delta Center entry rules

UFC 332 will be held at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The arena’s official event page says standard bags are not allowed. Medical and diaper bags may enter if they are no larger than 14 by 14 by 6 inches, while clutches must measure no more than 4 by 6 by 2 inches.

The venue also recommends purchasing tickets only through the authorized outlets it lists: DeltaCenter.com, UtahJazz.com, UtahMammoth.com and SeatGeek.com. Anyone attending should review the arena rules again before leaving, since operating conditions may change.

In short, UFC 332’s central question has a clear answer: Shevchenko’s inability to compete for at least a year opened the title, Silva and Wang will determine the new champion, and two interventions altered the lineup — Romero’s arrival and the addition of Smith vs. Whitehead.