Natalia Silva was all prepared to take on Valentina Shevchenko and take the women's flyweight belt from her at UFC 332 on Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
But Shevchenko pulled out nearly a month ago because of back and shoulder injuries and vacated the title to force a quick and major change of plans.
Now Silva will try to capture the title when as the top-ranked challenger the Brazilian faces No. 8 Wang Cong of China.
“We were preparing for Valentina
strategically," Silva said through a Portuguese interpreter. "Sparring was based on Valentina. They were emulating Valentina and everything was focused on her, and I got the news that it wasn’t her. At that point, I was like, ‘Damn, that’s the fight that I’ve always wanted. That’s what I worked for. That’s what I was envisioning.’
"But at that moment, coaches just pivoted. Our entire strategy shifted and we right away started preparing. It was about early September, so about 30 days I had to prepare, and we started preparing for my current opponent.”
Silva (20-5-1) is a -205 or -210 favorite depending on the sportsbook to capture the championship over the 34-year-old Cong (10-1), who is relatively new to MMA.
Though the 29-year-old Silva has dreamed of owning the name atop a numbered UFC event, this is far from the type of leading matchup many fans wanted to see. How Cong was given the spot over higher-ranked challengers has drawn some criticism.
Cong defeated Shevchenko in a kickboxing event in 2015, and if no else believes in her ability to win Saturday, she is ready to make a statement. If Cong beats Silva, maybe that will lead to what she really wants — a shot at Shevchenko in the octagon. In that way, she and Silva are aligned.
“This fight is definitely going to be exciting," Cong said through an interpreter. "We’re going to use this performance to shut (the critics) up.”
Silva will take an exciting fight as long as she comes out the victor.
Before the exit of Shevchenko, regarded by many as the greatest ever in her weight class, Silva was the underdog taking on a decorated champion.
Now Silva is the first name on this card, and she doesn't take it for granted. Maybe this wasn't the way she played it out in her mind, but Silva isn't about to walk away from this opportunity.
“As soon as the fight announced it was not her, (Shevchenko) became a nonfactor for me," Silva said. "I have my eyes on Cong. She is the one I have to focus on.
"As far as having my name on the poster, being in the main event, it's incredible because that's what I've worked for. That's what I've always dreamed. That's what I envisioned throughout my life. Just to see and sign a poster with my face on it ... that's a dream becoming true. I'm absolutely ecstatic over it.
In the co-main event, bantamweight ninth-ranked challenger Deiveson Figueiredo (25-7-1) of Brazil faces No. 12 Payton Talbott (11-1), a Las Vegas native who fights out of Reno, Nevada.
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