SEATTLE – It’s been almost one year since Song Yadong competed inside the UFC cage, even though he’s been healthy and ready to go for many months.
Song (21-8-1 MMA, 10-3-1 UFC) has used time to not only improve his skills but also his English. He proudly fielded questions from reporters (including MMA Junkie) at Wednesday’s media day with only brief assistance from the onsite interpreter.
Three days out from his UFC Fight Night 252 headliner at Climate Pledge Arena vs. Henry Cejudo (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC), Song gave his overview of the upper echelon of the division – including where he sees himself fitting in.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” Song said. “He’s a two-division champion, an Olympic champion. He has a big name. He’s good on the microphone. He’s a promoter. It’s an honor to fight him. Even though he’s lost two fights, look at who he lost to. They are champions. He’s still in the top. I’m so honored to fight him. … I’ve been training wrestling for a long time, since the UFC offered me to fight Umar (Nurmagomedov).”
The Nurmagomedov fight was discussed for December, but the promotion ultimately put the Dagestani contender into a title fight vs. Merab Dvalishvili instead. Dvalishvili won by unanimous decision.
“It was a good fight,” Song said. “Merab has crazy cardio. It was crazy. I think a big reason why Umar lost the fight was because of his hands. He hurt his hands. He could not grapple. But it is what it is.”
Regardless of how things go Saturday with Cejudo, Song feels there’s unfinished business with Nurmagomedov (18-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC).
“For next, I want to fight Umar,” Song said. “The UFC offered me it a few months ago. I want to get it done. … We both never signed a contract. I told them I can fight and the UFC said yes. Eventually, they told me he got injured. I don’t know what happened. Then, two days later (he got the fight with) Merab. I think Umar actually injured but the UFC told him. ‘Merab can fight you, he wanted to get the chance to be the champion,’ so he took the fight.”
As for Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC), Song doesn’t think the current UFC bantamweight champion is invincible – and he’s eager to prove that to the world himself.
“He got rocked,” Song said. “So I believe if I fight him, I can knock him to sleep.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
