Wang Cong beats Ariane da Silva at UFC 316, eyes Valentina Shevchenko rematch

Wang Cong emerged victorious over Ariane da Silva at UFC 316 in Newark, but the story didn’t end with the judges’ unanimous decision. Da Silva missed weight by a staggering seven pounds, resulting in a 25 percent fine from her purse, which was awarded to Wang. Despite the official win, Wang expressed disappointment in her own performance, stating she wished she had delivered a more dominant finish reminiscent of her “Joker” nickname..

The intrigue deepens as Wang, a former kickboxing rival of Valentina Shevchenko, now sets her sights on a high-profile MMA rematch. A decade ago, Wang defeated Shevchenko in kickboxing—a fact fueling her campaign for another showdown, this time in the UFC octagon “This fight demonstrated my current level, and I’m eager to return and train intensely,” Wang commented after her win, signaling her ambition for a title shot.

Meanwhile, Valentina Shevchenko, the reigning women’s flyweight champion, remains noncommittal about her next opponent. While fans speculate about a superfight with Zhang Weili or a possible bout with Natalia Silva, Wang Cong’s name is now firmly in the mix, given their shared history and Wang’s recent momentum.

With da Silva’s weight miss and Wang’s public challenge, the women’s flyweight division is primed for major shakeups—leaving fans eager to see if Shevchenko will accept the call for a long-awaited rematch.