UFC 332 had already struggled to find a headliner. Now it has lost the one fight that appeared closest to solving that problem. Valentina Shevchenko has reportedly withdrawn from her expected Women’s Flyweight (125 lbs / 56.7 kg) title defense against Natalia Silva with an undisclosed injury, leaving the October 3 card at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah without a confirmed main event less than a month before fight night. The UFC 332 replacement main event search is now the most pressing matchmaking problem in MMA.
What Happened
The sequence of events at UFC 332 has been unusual from the beginning. The UFC confirmed fights for UFC 331 and UFC 333 weeks ago but left UFC 332’s main event as TBD. Reports circulated that negotiations for an interim Light Heavyweight (205 lbs / 93.0 kg) title fight had stalled. The promotion turned to Shevchenko versus Silva as a fallback, reportedly elevating the women’s flyweight title bout from co-main to main event status.
Brazilian outlet Ag Fight first reported Shevchenko’s withdrawal on September 1, 2026. The UFC subsequently pulled the Shevchenko versus Silva matchup from its official event listing. The nature of the injury has not been disclosed. Shevchenko has not competed since defeating Zhang Weili 26-4-0 by unanimous decision at UFC 322 in November 2025.
The withdrawal leaves UFC 332 with no title fight confirmed, no official main event announced, and 31 days until fight night.
Key Details The Card as It Stands
The UFC has confirmed several supporting bouts for October 3. None carry main event weight on their own.
| Fight | Division |
| Deiveson Figueiredo 22-4-1 vs Payton Talbott 17-1-0 | Bantamweight (135 lbs) |
| Marvin Vettori 19-6-1 vs Ismail Naurdiev 14-2-0 | Middleweight (185 lbs) |
| Mick Parkin 11-1-0 vs Johnny Walker 22-8-0 | Light Heavyweight (205 lbs) |
| Roman Kopylov 11-3-0 vs Ateba Gautier 10-1-0 | Middleweight |
| Rafael dos Anjos 33-15-0 vs Alexander Hernandez 16-6-0 | Lightweight (155 lbs) |
The Figueiredo versus Talbott matchup is the most credible fight on the card. Figueiredo is a former two-time UFC Flyweight champion. Talbott is an undefeated prospect. But neither man is a main event headliner for a numbered UFC pay-per-view on their own.
Natalia Silva’s status on the card is also unclear. Whether the UFC books her in an interim title fight or keeps her on the card in a different capacity has not been confirmed.
The Prochazka vs Costa Rumor What It Means
The most discussed UFC 332 replacement main event scenario involves Jiri Prochazka 30-4-1 and Paulo Costa 16-4-0 meeting for an interim UFC Light Heavyweight title. The idea has circulated since the original light heavyweight negotiations reportedly stalled weeks ago.
The argument for this fight is straightforward. Current champion Carlos Ulberg suffered a torn ACL during his first-round knockout of Prochazka at UFC 327 in Miami on April 11, 2026. With Ulberg expected to miss the remainder of 2026, the division needs movement. An interim title fight keeps two contenders active and produces a legitimate champion for Ulberg to unify against on his return.
Costa 16-4-0 moved from Middleweight (185 lbs / 83.9 kg) to light heavyweight and won his divisional debut by stopping Azamat Murzakanov via TKO at 1:23 of Round 3 at UFC 327. He is currently ranked seventh at 205 pounds and has publicly called for an interim title fight at the weight class. The move to light heavyweight has given Costa’s career a fresh direction at 35 years old.
Prochazka 30-4-1 fell short in his title bid when Ulberg knocked him out in Round 1 at UFC 327 after Ulberg suffered the ACL tear mid-fight. Prochazka is the former UFC Light Heavyweight champion and one of the most dangerous strikers in the division. He has publicly called out Costa and said he is waiting for a contract. However, Prochazka has also pushed back on previous reports that his next fight was confirmed, urging fans not to believe everything they read online.
That means Prochazka versus Costa remains an unconfirmed rumor as of September 2, 2026. Nothing is official until the UFC makes its announcement.
Why Fans Are Divided
The fan reaction to the rumored Prochazka versus Costa interim title fight has not been universally positive. The core criticism is consistent Prochazka lost his most recent title fight and is now reportedly in line for another championship opportunity without a win in between.
The counterargument is that Ulberg’s ACL injury creates extraordinary circumstances. The champion cannot defend the belt. The division cannot sit idle until he recovers. An interim title produces a legitimate contender and keeps the weight class active while Ulberg rehabilitates.
Neither side of that argument is wrong. The division’s situation is genuinely unusual and the solution is inevitably going to produce disagreement. What fans can agree on is that UFC 332 needs a confirmed main event as quickly as possible. A numbered card in October without a title fight or a marquee matchup is not a position the UFC wants to hold for much longer.
What Happens Next
The UFC’s most logical path is to confirm the interim light heavyweight title fight and announce it before UFC Paris on September 5. Leaving UFC 332 without a headliner through another week of media coverage compounds the booking problem. Every day without an official announcement invites more scrutiny.
If Prochazka is unavailable or negotiations collapse again, the UFC could elevate the Mick Parkin versus Johnny Walker light heavyweight bout. Neither man carries enough name recognition to headline a numbered pay-per-view, but the division fits the card’s existing structure.
A Figueiredo versus Talbott elevation to main event is another option, though a bantamweight fight without a title at stake is a difficult sell at the top of a numbered card.
The clearest path forward remains the interim light heavyweight title fight. Costa is available and motivated. Prochazka has signaled interest publicly. The UFC has the framework to make it happen. Whether those conversations produce a signed contract before UFC 332’s window closes is now the central question.
For context on how divisional title pictures are currently shifting across the UFC, the UFC Shanghai fights to make breakdown covers how Song Yadong’s main event upset reshaped bantamweight. The wider title picture heading into October is covered in our UFC 332 main event Shevchenko Silva article, which now reflects the situation before the withdrawal was confirmed. The Sean O’Malley UFC 333 prediction and the broader October pay-per-view picture are covered in our Sean O’Malley UFC 333 article.
Conclusion
The UFC 332 replacement main event search is the most urgent booking problem in MMA right now. Valentina Shevchenko’s withdrawal removed the only fight close to a confirmed headliner. The Prochazka versus Costa interim light heavyweight title fight makes the most sporting sense and has the most public momentum behind it. Fan opinion is divided on whether Prochazka deserves another title shot immediately, but the division’s circumstances leave the UFC with limited options. October 3 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City needs a main event. The announcement cannot wait much longer.
