Kyler Phillips gets his hands wrapped prior to a fight in 2020.
Kyler Phillips secures big unanimous decision victory over Song Yadong
Kyler Phillips defeats Song Yadong by unanimous decision
There are three title fights going down at UFC 259 this Saturday, March 6.
The main event is when two champions will collide as the middleweight king Israel Adesanya challenges the light-heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The reigning women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes welcomes Australia’s Megan Anderson in the co-main event.
Bantamweight title holder Petr Yan makes his first defense against the surging Aljamain Sterling in the first championship bout of the evening.
Before any of those title fights take place, a preliminary card matchup between Song Yadong and Kyler Phillips will take place in the bantamweight division.
Yadong (16-4-1, 1NC) comes into the fight ranked at No. 14 in the UFC’s bantamweight division. The Chinese fighter is unbeaten inside of the octagon, posting a 5-0-1 record since going the promotion in 2017. He is coming off a controversial decision victory over Marlon Vera in May 2020.
Phillips (8-1) is a perfect 2-0 under the UFC banner. The LFA alumni won both of those fights in 2020 by defeating Gabriel Silva and Cameron Else.
Here’s how the Yadong and Phillips went down with a round-by-round breakdown and scoring. For a full list of UFC 259 results, click here.
Rond 1
Both men dancing around the octagon to start things out as they look to find an opening. Phillips is the first to find the openings as lands a few nice shots in the early going.
Phillips starts pouring on the pressure as he hurts Yadong with a few nice shots including a big kick.
Yadong appears to have his wits about him and starts firing back as he survived the early blows. While Yadong maybe out of danger, Phillips is still landing a lot of shots.
Just under two minutes left in the round, and Phillips lands a nice punch, follows up with a real heavy punch and then gets a takedown
Yadong quickly gets back to his feet and lands a nice uppercut that lands cleans. The two then clinch to end the final round.
It’s clear that Yadong has a chin, but it’s Phillips who easily takes round one after landing a number of clean and heavy shots. Not to mention he’s the busier fighter.
MyMMANews scores it 10-9 Phillips
Round 2
Yadong lands the first punch of the round, but Phillips quickly opens up his offense and lands two shots square to the face of Yadong.
The two trade shots, but it’s Phillips that lands the clearer strikes. He then briefly secures a takedown. Lots of action through the first 90 seconds.
Phillips now lands a great leg kick that lands cleanly above the knee of Yadong.
Yadong swings hard and Phillips ducks underneath the punch and briefly goes to a clinch, but he breaks away from it just as quick as he grabbed ahold of Yadong.
Just over a minute to go in the round, Phillips gets a takedown in the center of the octagon.
Philips just some nice work on the ground before Yadong gets back to his feet with 30 seconds left in the round.
Yadong lands a nice punch in the closing seconds of the round.
Phillips with another strong round and he is now five minutes away from a victory.
MyMMANews scores it 10-9 Phillips
Round 3
Phillips busy early on and he attempts a takedown and nearly scores one, but Yadong gets out of danger. After getting away from the takedown attempt, Yadong lands a quick flurry of punches.
Yadong know lands a few nice leg kicks and he also lands a powerful straight punch. Yadong is getting after Phillips as he knows he needs a knockout to win.
The first half of the round is over and it’s Yadong out in front. He’s busy and pressuring Phillips.
90 seconds left int he round and Phillips gets big takedown.
Phillips tries to take the back, but Yadong rolls out of danger and is now on top of Phillips.
Final 30 seconds, Yadong is on top Phillips and he rides out the final seconds there.
Yadong gets the final round.
MyMMANews scores it 10-9 Yadong
MyMMANews scorecard: 29-28 Phillips
Official Result: Kyler Phillips defeats Song Yadong by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
