Song Yadong finally got his homecoming moment in front of a Chinese crowd.
Yadong secured the biggest victory of his career in the UFC Macau main event, submitting former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in the second round to close out the event on a high note.
“Kung Fu Kid” controlled much of the opening round with pressure and disciplined striking. Rather than chasing the finish, the Chinese star patiently cut off the cage, attacked Figueiredo’s legs and body, and forced his opponent to fight on the back foot. While the Brazilian found occasional success with counters and briefly ended the round in top position following a slip.
The momentum swung even further in his favor during the second frame.
Song Yadong repeatedly found a home for his right hand and continued chopping away at Figueiredo’s lead leg, gradually slowing the dangerous veteran. As the pressure mounted, “Deus da Guerra” began searching for takedowns in an attempt to change the course of the matchup.
Late in the round, Figueiredo shot in once again after absorbing another leg kick, only for “Kung Fu Kid” to immediately lock up a guillotine choke. The submission was secured instantly, forcing the veteran to tap at 4:42 of Round 2.
After falling short against Sean O’Malley at UFC 324 in January, Song Yadong has now bounced back in impressive fashion. The 28-year-old now owns a 12-4-1 record inside the Octagon and 23-9-1 overall, adding Figueiredo to a resume that already includes wins over Henry Cejudo, Marlon Vera, and Marlon Moraes.
As for Figueiredo, the former two-time UFC 125-pound titleholder continues to endure a difficult stretch in his career. Deus da Guerra” has now dropped four of his last five fights and falls to 14-7-1 inside the Octagon, with a professional record of 25-7-1.
