Song Yadong getting extra chances at the division’s elite
Song Yadong gets another chance at UFC Seattle this weekend.
He is taking on the ever-popular Henry Cejudo this weekend and is looking for his third shot at the top of the divison. Song has come up short a few times when he’s stepped up. This weekend, he looks to make a difference.
Yadong has notched some great wins but lacks that marquee win that championship contenders usually have. He’s had chances: Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen. Can the Chinese contender finally get over the hump?
The first stumble: Cory Sandhagen
Cory Sandhagen is a tricky fight for anyone, even Umar Nurmagomedov. After Song Yadong defeated Marlon Moraes, fans and the UFC brass weren’t convinced he was ready just yet. So they handed him “The Sandman.”
The task was a tough one and Song had to rise to the occasion. While he did fight well, the bout was generally all Sandhagen and eventually ended in round four after Sandhagen cut open Song Yadong pretty gnarly.
One win away from a title shot at 135 and Song came up short. But he would try his best to bounce back.
Song Yadong rising again
It would be two wins before Song Yadong had another of those shots. He took on Ricky Simon in a main event back in April of 2023. Song would put on a clinic. Eventually, he felled Simon in round five and proved that the Sandhagen loss wouldn’t affect him. He also proved that five rounds wouldn’t be a problem.
So he had another opportunity: a main event against Chris Gutierrez. Gutierrez is a frustrating fighter to take on and Yadong got the victory despite Guiterrez’ best efforts. Lastly was Petr Yan, the former bantamweight champion. This was Song’s next opportunity.
The fight was a three rounder at UFC 299. This played into Song Yadong’s hands. Yan is a slow starter. But Song would stumble yet again. Yan would be handed the decision victory.
Now he faces Cejudo, a great of the sport. While it doesn’t carry the weight it once did, a win over “Triple C” would be a great notch in the belt for China’s bantamweight sensation. Song is a fun action fighter and Cejudo is 38 and riding two losses. Those losses are to Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili. In hindsight that doesn’t look so bad.
Song Yadong needs to step up to the plate and snag the win this weekend. At 27, Father Time is beginning to lurk. He gets too much older and he could see age defeat him once and for all and what a tragedy that would be.
