Nicknamed ‘The Kung Fu Kid’, it seems Song Yadong was always destined to be a martial artist. Raised by a single mother in Heilongjiang, China, he trained in Sanda (Chinese boxing) from age nine and never looked back. Having fought since the age of 16, the #8-ranked bantamweight star now lives with his wife and son in sunny California. An ardent admirer of Bruce Lee much like his Chinese contemporaries in the UFC, Yadong worked as a street vendor—particularly during the Beijing Olympics—when ‘The Kung Fu Kid’ sold souvenirs, all the whilst his UFC Seattle opponent Henry Cejudo was winning his Olympic gold medal. Now he’s going to face the very man who found glory in his home country.
Yadong has begun his 8th year on the UFC roster, gearing up for his main event showdown against none other than the 16-4-0 former two-weight champion Henry Cejudo at Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle. This fight kicks off after his most prolonged absence from the Octagon since debuting. The last time the 27-year-old stepped inside the cage was at UFC 299 against Petr Yan, where he lost and ended his two-fight winning streak. During this long dry spell, Song expressed his restlessness, saying, "For me, it’s hard to spend the time (not fighting)." He explained the challenges he faced, with opponents dropping out and not finding match-ups.
Yet this long break led to extensive training with his coach, the 35-11-0 bantamweight UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber, who has immense faith in Yadong's abilities. Faber, who has previously called Yadong 'the next champion', stated, "I like Cejudo, too, so I wouldn’t like to see [Yadong beating him] for Cejudo because I think Song would whoop him." He added, "Nobody wants to fight Song. It’s like the whisper campaign to stay away from Song Yadong, and there’s a good reason for it." The stakes couldn’t be higher for Yadong, who expressed his determination: "If I win this fight, I have another chance to challenge for the Top 5 and then to get the title, so I have to win this one. It’s motivating for me."
Song Yadong has been with Team Alpha Male since joining the UFC back in 2017. He trains under the watchful eyes of coaches Dave Rowan, Dustin Akbari, Fabio Prado, and Urijah Faber, alongside high-caliber fighters such as Joseph Benavidez, Raulian Paiva, Josh Emmett, and Xiaonan Yan. Team Alpha Male is known for producing champions such as TJ Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt, making it one of the top gyms for lower-weight class fighters.
On the path to his impending fight, he reflected, "I am so excited about this fight in Seattle. There are many Chinese people here, and I’m the main event; I’m so happy about it." Yadong has built quite the reputation as one of the few notable Chinese MMA fighters on the UFC roster. Despite being just 27 years old, he already has 30 fights under his belt. Following his fight against Cejudo, if victorious, he has eyes set on the championship belt, stating, "That belt will be back in the gym, hoisted high in China and California, so whoever is next, let’s do it." His resolute focus shows he means business.
Adding another layer of motivation, Yadong revealed his admiration for Dominick Cruz, whom he grew up watching, wishing he could one day fight him. Unfortunately, with Cruz's recent retirement, this dream faded. "I always wanted to fight Dominick Cruz," Yadong mentioned. "I loved [watching him], but I feel so bad he retired." Cruz had to retire following a storied career marred by injuries and cameos among top opponents. He had been one of the greatest bantamweights of all time.
Song Yadong is poised for his upcoming match against Cejudo and is eager to prove his place within the sport. He articulated his enthusiasm for competing before crowds, saying, "Yeah, this is a real main event for me with [a] crowd." This fight not only presents Yadong with the chance to shine but also to showcase his growth and hard-fought career. His eyes are set on the ultimate goal—a shot at the title.
Fans of the UFC and followers of Song Yadong can expect fireworks as the two fighters meet on Saturday. Will Yadong emerge victorious and secure his path to title contention or will Cejudo’s experience prove too strong? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure—Yadong is ready to show the world who he truly is inside the Octagon.