The UFC’s return to Salt Lake City on October 3 doesn’t have an official main event yet.
Last month, a list of fights were made official for UFC 333, including the two title fights that will headline the Abu Dhabi card.
Unfortunately for fans who are planning to be in attendance at the Delta Center for the numbered event that comes before this, there hasn’t been an announcement regarding the main event as of yet.
It now looks like the reported title fight set for the co-main event will be promoted to the headliner due to a lack of other options despite talk surrounding the light heavyweight division.
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Should the UFC create an interim light heavyweight title? 👀
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Valentina Shevchenko vs Natalia Silva now expected to headline UFC 332
Fans weren’t thrilled by talk of an interim light heavyweight title fight headlining the promotion’s return to Salt Lake City in October.
While this may be the case, it’s unlikely that the potential of getting one title fight instead of two on this card will receive a more positive response.
On August 31, Brazilian outlet Ag Fight reported that Valentina Shevchenko defending her flyweight title against Natalia Silva is now expected to headline UFC 332.
The report adds that with this matchup previously being linked to the co-main event, this was “by all indications”, not the promotion’s original plan for October 3.
However, Ag Fight claims that negotiations regarding other options for the main event fell through.
This fight coming to fruition would mean Shevchenko main eventing a numbered UFC event for the first time since her rematch with Amanda Nunes in 2017.
Jiri Prochazka recently teased a new direction for his next fight
While fans didn’t seem on board with the idea of an interim light heavyweight title fight, adding Jiri Prochazka to UFC 332 certainly would’ve bolstered the card with a fan favorite.
The former champion recently took to social media to suggest that the plans for his return are now heading in a different direction.
“None of the last challengers they’ve dealt with want to fight,” he wrote on X. “So let’s move forward and let’s face the new challenge. Stay tuned. I am happy to be back in the true work. Preparation started.”
Many have taken “the new challenge” as a clue that Prochazka is facing rising contender Navajo Stirling next, though this hasn’t been confirmed.
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