Song Yadong Primed To Take The Next Step

Though there have been a couple stumbles in key fights with Top 5 opposition, that’s a rite of passage that most ascendent fighters have to navigate at one point or another in order to finally reach a point where they’re prepared to take that next step and be ready to challenge for championship gold.

Heading into Saturday night’s main event, Song believes that is exactly where he stands.

“Yeah, I feel it’s time,” he said when asked about his progression and where he's at in his development. “I feel my technique, mentally, I’m totally ready; I’m ready for a title shot.”

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In order to get there, he first needs to get through Cejudo, who touches down in Seattle with big motivations of his own.

After pressing pause on his career after successfully defending the bantamweight title at UFC 249, “Triple C” returned to action in May 2023, landing on the wrong side of a split decision verdict against then-champion Aljamain Sterling before dropping a unanimous decision to Merab Dvalishvili in the last fight before “The Machine” rose to the top of the 135-pound weight class.

A fierce competitor that has thrived at the top of both wrestling and mixed martial arts, Cejudo is laser-focused on getting things moving in the right direction again this weekend, and Song is eager to hand him a third straight loss, while hopefully becoming the first person to put the former two-weight world champion out.

“Of course I wanna knock him out,” he said with a smile when asked how he envisions the fight playing out. “Finishing him is my goal.”