UFC 332 Has a New Champion to Crown, Here’s What to Watch

Jan 24, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Natalia Silva (red gloves) reacts before the fight against Rose Namajunas (blue gloves) during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images UFC 332 arrives in Salt Lake City with an unexpected vacancy atop the women’s flyweight division and a card built around speed, knockout power and generational tests. Natalia Silva and Wang Cong fight for the undisputed 125-pound championship after Valentina Shevchenko relinquished her title while dealing with an injury expected to sideline her for up to a year.A New Flyweight EraSilva enters the main event on a 14-fight winning streak, including an 8-0 UFC run featuring victories over former champions Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas. Her best weapon is not one particular strike but the way her speed, kicking variety and footwork operate together. She darts into range, scores before an opponent can plant her feet and pivots away from the return fire.Wang presents a much different striking problem. The former kickboxer applies steady pressure, carries meaningful power and has won four consecutive fights since suffering her only professional MMA defeat. Watch whether she pressures with discipline rather than merely following Silva around the cage. If Wang can cut off Silva’s exits, attack the legs and body, and force exchanges near the fence, she can turn a spacious kickboxing match into a taxing physical fight.Silva should be most effective when she has room to move and counter, while Wang must shrink the Octagon and make every exchange costly. Grappling is the tactical curveball: Wang has displayed useful clinch and top-position work, while Silva has enough wrestling and submission skill to capitalize if Wang overcommits. Neither woman has fought five UFC rounds before, adding another layer of uncertainty at Salt Lake City’s altitude.The winner will become champion rather than hold an interim belt. Shevchenko intends to challenge for the title once she is healthy.Experience Meets YouthThe co-main event pits former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo against rising bantamweight Payton Talbott. Figueiredo’s experience, counterpunching power and submission awareness make him an unforgiving examination, but Talbott brings youth, length and an increasingly assured offensive rhythm.The key is whether Talbott can build his volume without presenting Figueiredo with clean counters or opportunities to dominate scrambles. Figueiredo cannot allow the younger man to settle into a comfortable long-range striking pattern, so expect him to threaten with explosive punches, clinch entries and level changes. Talbott must prove that his composure holds up against an opponent accustomed to championship pressure.A convincing Talbott performance would announce the arrival of a serious bantamweight contender. A Figueiredo victory would remind the division that he is still one of the best that the UFC has to offer.Main-Card Fireworks Jul 10, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; King Green during weigh ins for UFC 329 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images King Green versus Esteban Ribovics has everything needed to become the evening’s most entertaining fight. Green’s low hands, shoulder rolls and in-cage swagger can obscure how sophisticated his boxing really is. Ribovics, meanwhile, is dangerous when he builds combinations and forces opponents into prolonged exchanges. Pay particular attention to Green’s straight punches and subtle defensive movements whenever Ribovics attempts to trap him near the fence.Roberto Soldić’s UFC debut against Khaos Williams is the main card’s purest collision of knockout threats. Soldić arrives with extensive championship experience outside the promotion and 18 knockouts among his 21 professional victories, while Williams has repeatedly demonstrated that one clean punch can erase everything that happened beforehand. The important question is not simply who hits harder, but who controls the tempo. Soldić constructs attacks through combinations and calculated pressure; Williams thrives when opponents become reckless in the pocket.Ateba Gautier opens the main card against Roman Kopylov in another striking matchup with major finishing potential. Gautier’s size, reach and explosiveness have driven a 5-0 UFC start, but Kopylov is an experienced, patient kickboxer capable of punishing rushed entries. Gautier will try to establish his physical advantages immediately. Kopylov’s task is to withstand that opening surge, gather reads and force the prospect to operate at a more measured pace.Prelims to WatchJohnny Walker’s heavyweight meeting with unbeaten Mick Parkin is the prelims’ biggest curiosity. Walker has always possessed unusual speed and creativity for a large athlete, but competing at heavyweight means encountering stronger clinches and heavier consequences. Parkin’s steadier, more methodical approach should test whether Walker can remain disciplined when the fight becomes physical rather than chaotic.The veteran names further down the card offer substantial intrigue. Rafael dos Anjos meets Alexander Hernandez in a lightweight fight that should reveal whether the former champion can still impose his layered pressure against a younger, explosive opponent. Marvin Vettori faces Ismail Naurdiev at middleweight, where durability, pace and positional control could become especially important in the final round. Court McGee also returns against Eric Nolan, bringing the grit and experience necessary to make an opponent earn every clean minute.Among the prospects, flyweights Imanol Rodríguez and Alden Coria headline the late prelims, while Damian Pinas faces Andrey Pulyaev at middleweight. Unbeaten heavyweights Anthony Wint and Lucas Armand meet in a division where one technical mistake can bring immediate consequences. Jacobe Smith provides another developing welterweight to monitor, while Marcus McGhee’s combination of speed and aggression makes him a potential source of early-card fireworks.UFC 332 takes place Saturday, October 3, at the Delta Center. The early prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the late prelims at 6 p.m. and the main card at 8 p.m.