Song Yadong KOs Nurmagomedov in huge UFC upset

Song Yadong delivered the biggest win of his career on Saturday, knocking out heavily favored Umar Nurmagomedov in the second round of the bantamweight main event at UFC Fight Night 286 in Shanghai. The knockout, which came at 1 minute, 48 seconds of Round 2, sent shockwaves through the MMA world and immediately sparked calls for a title shot from the 28-year-old Chinese fighter.espn

Song, a nearly 5-to-1 underdog according to DraftKings ↘ 2.07% Sportsbook, dropped Nurmagomedov with a short right hand after the Dagestani fighter ducked out of the way of a left and moved directly into the path of the punch, which connected near his right ear and sent him limply to the canvas. Song delivered three finishing shots on the mat before the referee waved it off.espn

"I believe in myself and my team believed that I would win this fight," Song said through an interpreter. "They told me I would knock this guy out, and I did it."espn

A Homecoming for the Ages

Song, making his first appearance in Shanghai since his UFC debut at age 19 in 2017, walked out to a hero's welcome at the Oriental Sports Center. It was his second straight fight in China and second straight win by finish, with his most recent knockout victory prior to this having come in 2023.forbes+1

After the stoppage, Song climbed atop the cage to soak in the crowd's cheers before jumping down and running into the stands for hugs and high fives. He then made his case for a championship opportunity: "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next month, but I will be the first male Chinese UFC champion," he said, nodding to countrywoman Zhang Weili, the two-time women's strawweight champion. Switching to English, he added: "Give me the title shot!"espn

Post-Fight Controversy

The celebration was briefly overshadowed by a tense moment involving Nurmagomedov's corner. Umar's brother, PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov, rushed into the octagon to check on his fallen sibling and collided with Song as the winner ran a victory lap. Footage reviewed by fans on social media appeared to show Usman winding up a backward elbow in Song's direction before pulling back at the last moment.mmajunkie.usatoday+1

The incident drew sharp criticism online, with some fans calling on the UFC to reconsider reported plans to sign the undefeated Usman. Others argued the collision was incidental and that Usman was simply devastated by seeing his brother unconscious.bloodyelbow

The situation quickly deescalated. UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was also in Umar's corner, helped wipe blood from Song's cut eyebrow as the teams interacted respectfully.forbes+1

What Comes Next

Song earned a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus for the upset. According to Forbes, he may still need another win before leapfrogging Sean O'Malley for a title shot, particularly since O'Malley defeated Song by decision at UFC 324 in January. However, his case could strengthen depending on the outcome of Merab Dvalishvili's upcoming bout against champion Petr Yan at UFC 333.forbes

For Nurmagomedov, who entered the fight at 20-1 and ranked No. 3 in the bantamweight division, the loss marks only the second defeat of his career and a jarring setback in what had been a steady climb toward another title shot.espn+1