Silva vs. Wang Cong eyed to rescue UFC 332

A day after Valentina Shevchenko's injury blew up UFC 332's headliner, the promotion's rescue plan has a name: an interim women's flyweight title fight between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong, though nothing is signed. Elsewhere the heavyweight picture stayed murky as Eddie Hearn revealed Tom Aspinall still isn't medically cleared, while Khamzat Chimaev added a second RAF grappling booking and Marlon Vera overhauled his corner to snap a four-fight skid.

UFC targets Silva vs. Wang Cong interim title to save UFC 332

With Shevchenko out injured, reports say the UFC is building an interim women's flyweight title fight between No. 1 contender Natalia Silva and No. 6 Wang Cong to headline the Oct. 3 Delta Center card in Salt Lake City. The booking traces to social-media sources and is not official; Dana White said the main event will be announced this week. Wang, 6-1 in the UFC with four straight wins since her lone loss, notably beat Shevchenko in a 2015 kickboxing bout, setting up a potential grudge unification down the line.

Why it matters: It keeps a title on a card that has spent weeks searching for a main event, and preserves Silva's earned shot rather than handing it away, but an interim women's flyweight bout headlining a numbered PPV is a hard sell to casual buyers.

Aspinall not medically cleared, return date still unknown

Tom Aspinall's manager Eddie Hearn says the heavyweight champion still needs additional testing on the eye injury he suffered in the UFC 321 no-contest against Ciryl Gane, and has no clearance date. Aspinall (15-3) is training and eager, but Hearn stressed the holdup is a commission and medical question, not motivation, and wouldn't confirm a rumored Gane rematch at UFC 334 in November. Gane holds the interim belt after stopping Alex Pereira and is the obvious unification opponent.

Why it matters: The entire heavyweight division is frozen behind an undisputed champion who can't get cleared, and every month of delay strengthens the case to strip or unify around Gane.

Chimaev books second RAF grappling match, a Burns rematch

Khamzat Chimaev will face Gilbert Burns in the co-main event of Real American Freestyle's RAF 13 on Sept. 18 in Coral Gables, Florida, a grappling rematch of their 2022 UFC 273 Fight of the Night. It's Chimaev's second RAF booking this month — he faces Tyron Woodley at RAF Moscow on Sept. 5. The card is headlined by Colby Covington vs. Belal Muhammad. Burns, who retired from MMA in April after five straight losses, makes his RAF debut; Chimaev is still awaiting his next UFC assignment after losing the middleweight title to Sean Strickland.

Why it matters: RAF continues to pull recognizable UFC names onto the wrestling mat, and it keeps the former champ active and visible while the UFC sorts out his return.

Vera splits from Parillo, joins Rosas Jr. camp to break 0-4 skid

Marlon Vera has parted ways with longtime striking coach Jason Parillo, the two having worked together since 2018, and merged into Raul Rosas Jr.'s team with his own gym as the base. Vera (23-12-1) called the amicable split a change he needed after dropping four straight to Sean O'Malley, Deiveson Figueiredo, Aiemann Zahabi and David Martinez. He also opened up about the mental toll of the slide. He faces Charles Jourdain at UFC 331 on Sept. 19 in Los Angeles.

Why it matters: A fifth straight loss could threaten Vera's roster spot, so this camp overhaul is a genuine last-stand gamble for a former title challenger and reliable draw.

Sharaf rips UFC's Steveson push, invokes 2019 assault case

Sean Sharaf (4-2), an ex-Marine set to face Gable Steveson at UFC 331 on Sept. 19, publicly blasted the promotion for repeatedly featuring his opponent in content collaborations, referencing Steveson's 2019 sexual-assault arrest — charges that were never filed due to insufficient evidence. Steveson, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist, is 4-0 with all first-round finishes; Sharaf has been knocked out in both his UFC appearances.

Why it matters: It's a rare on-record shot at how the UFC chooses which fighters to build, and it drags a fast-tracked prospect's past back into the spotlight weeks before a marquee card.

Gaethje floats McGregor, says Topuria win already avenged his losses

New lightweight champion Justin Gaethje says beating Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 effectively squared his accounts with Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, since Topuria had finished both — so he named Conor McGregor as the opponent he'd want, despite never fighting him. Gaethje reiterated he won't compete again in 2026 as both hands recover, while Arman Tsarukyan holds a verbal promise of the next shot if he wins later this month. McGregor is sidelined into 2027 with a knee injury.

Why it matters: The McGregor talk is a non-starter given the layoffs, but Gaethje's ambivalence toward rematches muddies a title picture Tsarukyan is supposed to headline next.

Fleury calls OKTAGON title-loss stoppage a robbery, wants rematch

OKTAGON two-division titleholder Will Fleury says referee intervention cost him his light heavyweight belt when Makhmud Muradov stopped him in the second round at OKTAGON 92 on Aug. 1. Fleury claims he was defending himself and body-locking Muradov when the fight was waved off, and accuses the referee of pinning him down afterward. He's pushing hard for an immediate rematch.

Why it matters: Fleury has been one of OKTAGON's most reliable champions and a repeated UFC-signing candidate, so how the promotion handles this dispute affects its credibility and his next move.

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