Song Yadong Wins UFC Macau Main Event

Song Yadong headlined UFC Macau with a second-round submission victory over former champion Deiveson Figueiredo, successfully defending his No. 5 bantamweight ranking [1]. While the 28-year-old Chinese native delivered a standout performance for his home fans, the rest of the local contingent struggled throughout the event at Galaxy Macau [2].

Key takeaways

• Song Yadong earned a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus for his submission win [2].
• Song was the only Chinese fighter on the card to secure a victory [2].
• Alonzo Menifield and Zhang Mingyang were awarded $100,000 each for Fight of the Night [2].
• The UFC distributed $25,000 finish bonuses to six additional fighters [2].

A Difficult Night for Local Talent

Despite the high expectations surrounding the event, the local Chinese fighters largely failed to find success against their opponents. Zhang Mingyang, who entered his bout against Alonzo Menifield as a 3-1 betting favorite, was defeated by a first-round finish [2]. Other local fighters also faced setbacks, including Aori Qileng, who was stopped by Cody Haddon, and Kangjie Zhu, who was knocked out by promotional debutant Rodrigo Vera [2].

Song’s victory provided a necessary highlight for the home crowd, as he managed to secure a guillotine choke against Figueiredo, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt [2]. Following the win, Song expressed his gratitude on social media, noting that performing in his hometown was the happiest moment of his career [1]. The UFC recognized the significance of his performance by awarding him one of the four $100,000 bonuses handed out after the event [2].

Why it matters

The victory keeps Song in a prime position within the competitive bantamweight division. Having fought in the UFC for nearly a decade, Song is now looking toward his next challenge, with No. 2-ranked Umar Nurmagomedov emerging as a potential opponent [1]. Because both men hold recent wins over Figueiredo, matchmakers may view this as a logical next step for the division [1].

Meanwhile, the broader landscape of the bantamweight class remains in flux. Champion Petr Yan is currently recovering from back surgery, and a trilogy bout between Yan and Merab Dvalishvili is expected to take place later this year [1]. The winner of that matchup will likely face the victor of the upcoming Sean O’Malley versus Aiemann Zahabi fight, leaving Song to navigate the remaining top-10 contenders as he pursues a future title opportunity [1].