Shevchenko's Coach Reveals Injury Behind UFC 332

Valentina Shevchenko's coach, Pavel Fedotov, says shoulder and back ligament injuries forced her withdrawal from a planned October 3 title defense against Natalia Silva at UFC 332.

"We were supposed to fight on October 3 against Natália Silva, but due to an injury to the ligaments in the shoulder and back we decided not to push things and postpone the fight," Fedotov

Shevchenko first won the flyweight title in 2018, defending it seven times before losing to Alexa Grasso in 2023. She reclaimed the belt from Grasso the following year and defended it against Manon Fiorot and Zhang Weili since, but hasn't fought since November.

The withdrawal forced Shevchenko to relinquish the title, with the UFC restructuring the Salt Lake City main event into a bout between Silva and Cong Wang for the vacant belt. Fedotov says the promotion has promised Shevchenko a title shot once she recovers, a process expected to take up to a year.