Natalia Silva Wants Active Title Reign, Won't Wait For Valentina Shevchenko

Former flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko, who was forced out of competition due to an injury, already has her sights set on the title. New champion Natalia Silva, however, isn't prioritizing that showdown over other title defenses.

Natalia Silva Makes Her Title Defense Intentions Clear

Natalia Silva put on an incredible show of her speed, footwork, and counterstriking, frustrating Wang Cong before ultimately snatching the unanimous decision victory. Soon after the UFC 332 co-main event, 'Bullet' Shevchenko congratulated the winner of the vacant title bout before adding a chilling warning.

“Well deserved, Natalia. Congratulations! … But don’t get too comfortable—keep it warm, I’m coming soon for my belt!” Shevchenko wrote on X.

That led reporters to question whether the No. 1 pound-for-pound women's UFC fighter would be the first to challenge the Brazilian's spotless UFC record. With Shevchenko's rehabilitation needing roughly eight more months, that's not something Natalia Silva is interested in. 

"I want to be an active champion. There is no point in being a title holder if you don't put it out for defense," Silva told MMA Fighting.

In fact, as Silva explained, her title may not have come against Shevchenko, but that doesn't make her title reign any less valid.

"It's my time for people to see who I am as a titleholder and a champion that puts her title on the line and defends it as much as possible."

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With Shevchenko out of the Octagon for quite some time, some top flyweight contenders have emerged as potential first title defenses for Natalia Silva. 

Who Could Challenge Natalia Silva Next?

One of the fiercest names on the flyweight roster right now has to be Alexa Grasso. A former No. 2 contender before Natalia Silva won the crown, Grasso has bounced back from a disappointing two-fight losing skid in stellar fashion. 

Picking up victories over Maycee Barber via knockout and Manon Fiorot by unanimous decision, Grasso has put herself right back in the mix with the division's elites. However, one must note that the pair have met before on a previous occasion. Although the fight went the full distance, the Brazilian had eventually done enough for the judges to score in her favor. 

The former champion would definitely want another whirl at reclaiming the title, giving the Silva vs. Grasso matchup an interesting early plot. Beyond the Mexican challenger, other strong contenders include Erin Blanchfield, Manon Fiorot, and Zhang Weili, all of whom could equally produce showstoppers.