Song Yadong produced the biggest win of his career Saturday night, knocking out former title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC Fight Night at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai.
The Chinese bantamweight entered as a nearly 5-1 underdog and stopped Nurmagomedov at 1:48 of Round 2. As Nurmagomedov dipped for a takedown, Song timed a short right hand that landed near the ear and sent him limp to the canvas. Follow-up shots ended the fight in front of a roaring home crowd.
Song improved to 24-9-1 with one no contest. It was his second straight finish in China after submitting former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in May, and his first Shanghai appearance since his 2017 UFC debut at age 19. Nurmagomedov dropped to 20-2.
Song lost a close decision to Sean O’Malley earlier this year but has now won two in a row by stoppage. Nurmagomedov, a former title challenger who lost to Merab Dvalishvili in January 2025, had been viewed as a leading 135-pound contender.
“I believe in myself, and my team believed that I would win this fight,” Song said, via ESPN. “They told me I would knock this guy out, and I did it.”
He later declared himself the best Chinese fighter in the world and called for a title shot, saying he wants to become the first male Chinese UFC champion.
The finish stunned the MMA world. After the stoppage, Song celebrated wildly and nearly collided with Usman Nurmagomedov, who rushed into the cage to check on his brother.
