This is the live blog for Song Yadong vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, the bantamweight main event for Saturday’s UFC Macau card at the Galaxy Arena in Macau, China.
Song is currently No. 7 at 135 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, with Figueiredo close behind at No. 9.
This headlining bout presents Song (22-8-1, 2 NC) with another opportunity to prove he belongs among the elite after having mixed results against the likes of Sean O’Malley, Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, and Cory Sandhagen in the past. Song is coming off of a loss to former UFC champion Sean O’Malley, but at 28, still has plenty of time to make a title run of his own, a run that could start with a showcase performance in his home country.
Figueiredo (25-6-1) has fought his way to a top 10 ranking since moving up a division from flyweight, where he won UFC gold twice. The 38-year-old is mired in a 1-3 slump, though like Song, his losses have come against the division’s best including Umar Nurmagomedov, Yan, and Sandhagen. It’s now or never for Figueiredo, who still hopes to fight for a title again.
Check out the Song Yadong vs. Deiveson Figueiredo live blog below.
Well, that was a disappointing performance by Zhang Mingyang, which puts even more pressure on Song to send the fans home happy. Can he put on a dominant performance against Deiveson Figueiredo or does the wily vet still have some tricks up his sleeve?
Per FanDuel, Song is a massive favorite at -620, with Figueiredo the underdog at +460.
Referee Jason Herzog oversees the main event.
Song immediately takes the center of the cage. Both men staying patient to start, hardly throwing anything. Song is the first to throw punches with intent, but Figueiredo easily moves out of the way. Good body kick by Figueiredo. Not much to score at the halfway mark of Round 1.
Figueiredo ventures in and lands a crisp right across the chin. Song stuffs a couple of takedown attempts and continues to chip away with leg kicks. Song slips on a leg kick and Figueiredo quick to jump into his guard. Not much to score in this round, but Figueiredo landed the most impactful strikes in my view.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Figueiredo.
Neither fighter letting their hands go. Song connects with a counter right. Pretty bad fight with three minutes to go in the second round.
Song catches a kick and trips Figueiredo, but the former champ scrambles out of danger. Hard straight right scores for Song. Another leg kick from Song, Figueiredo felt that one. Song stuffs another takedown and catches Figueiredo with a glancing high kick. Still not much action, but Figueiredo was definitely less busy. Late takedown attempt by Figueiredo and it proves to be disastrous as Song quickly jumps on a guillotine! Team Alpha Male special and it works, Figueiredo taps. Out of nowhere!
Song Yadong def. Deiveson Figueiredo via submission (guillotine choke) (R2, 4:42)
Song talks about the significance of his entrance.
“It has been eight years for me to wait for this moment,” Song said via a Mandarin translator. “A lot of people ask me when am I going to use this walkout song. I said, ‘This time. This time I’ll use it because this is in my hometown.’”
He credits Urijah Faber and the rest of his Team Alpha Male coaches for helping him with his guillotine choke technique.
Asked who he wants to fight next, Song says (in English) “I don’t give a f*ck, I take whatever you guys give me. Let’s go!”
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