Wang Cong will take her distinctive Joker-inspired presentation into a UFC title fight when she meets Natalia Silva for the vacant women’s flyweight title in the UFC 332 main event in Salt Lake City.
Cong has appeared before opponents with green hair, white face paint and a red grin. Cong told BBC Sport that the idea came from the joker playing card, which she views as the most powerful card, rather than being simply a tribute to the comic-book character.
For Cong, 34, the make-up is intended to serve a competitive purpose. She said it makes her feel wilder and improves her performances, adding that she senses fear in opponents when she appears in the character. She has also adopted the Joker name in social-media messaging in China, according to the BBC. Cong said it inspires her and helps her perform better, while remaining part of her true personality.
That approach has already brought some unusual pre-fight moments. Before a 2024 bout with Gabriella Fernandes, Cong acted out tossing a coin and firing an imaginary gun. In July, she gave Tracy Cortez a packet of false eyelashes before their flyweight contest. She has indicated that Silva can expect another surprise around their championship meeting.
A title opportunity against the division’s leading contender
The theatre surrounding Cong should not obscure the scale of the sporting task. Silva, 29, arrives on a 14-fight winning streak across different promotions and has won eight consecutive UFC fights. BBC Sport reported that Silva is the number-one-ranked fighter in the UFC flyweight standings.
Silva had been due to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the belt before that contest was cancelled. Shevchenko then vacated the championship last month because of injury, creating the opening for Silva and Cong to compete for the title.
Cong has won four fights in a row but acknowledged to the BBC that she had initially been surprised by the call. She said, however, that the fighters ranked above her were either already booked or had recently fought, and that her own run of victories supported the decision.
Her assessment of Silva was notably measured. Cong described the Brazilian as an outstanding fighter with strong movement, distance management and kicking, while also pointing to Silva’s wins over three former champions. That acknowledgement matters because the match-up places a fighter on a four-fight winning streak against the division’s top-ranked contender, rather than presenting Cong’s persona as a substitute for the technical challenge.
The UFC 332 bout is listed by MMA Fighting as the contest for the undisputed flyweight championship vacated by Shevchenko. The fight gives Silva an opportunity to pursue a title after her 14-fight winning run, while Cong can attempt to extend her four-fight streak into a championship victory.
Face-off adds to the tension
Cong brought the character into the ceremonial weigh-ins, where her taunting prompted a brief confrontation. MMA Fighting reported that Cong, wearing the Joker make-up, approached Silva in a fighting stance and repeatedly moved her hips while standing close to her opponent.
Silva pushed Cong’s arms away and security stepped in. Cong continued the taunting after the intervention. The incident did not establish how either fighter will perform once the contest begins, but it showed how Cong incorporates the character into her pre-fight presentation.
Cong has said she regards the title fight as meaningful beyond her own career. If she wins, the BBC reported that she would become only the second Chinese UFC champion after former strawweight title-holder Zhang Weili. She said success could encourage more athletes in China to consider mixed martial arts.
Her immediate test remains Silva, whose form and ranking make her the established contender in the pairing. Cong’s Joker image has helped frame the build-up, but whether she can translate that approach into a defining title-fight performance will determine whether the persona accompanies a defining result.