Song Yadong “The Kung Fu Kid”
Bantamweight · China · UFC
Counter-striker built around the right hand and left hook; 9 of 23 wins by knockout or TKO.
The counter right timed on an opponent's entry, held together by a five-round output.
Record & stats
| Division | Bantamweight |
|---|---|
| Categories | MMA |
| Promotion | UFC |
| Nationality | China |
| Born | Heilongjiang, China |
| Team | Team Alpha Male |
| Pro debut | 2017 |
| Height | 5'8" (173cm)0′2″ |
| Reach | 67in (170cm)2′2″ |
| Age | 28 |
| KO rate | 39% |
| Status | Active |
How the wins come
57% Finish rate- 9 KO/TKO · 39%
- 4 Submission · 17%
- 10 Decision · 43%
Biography
Song Yadong is a Chinese bantamweight with a 23-9-1 record as of August 20, 2026, ranked No. 6 by the UFC. He made his Octagon debut at 19 and on August 29, 2026 headlines UFC Shanghai on home soil against No. 3 Umar Nurmagomedov over five rounds.
Born December 2, 1997 in Heilongjiang, China, the 28-year-old stands 5'8" (173 cm) with a 67-inch (170 cm) reach and fights under the nickname "The Kung Fu Kid." He has trained at Team Alpha Male in California since 2017, the year he debuted in the UFC on November 25.
Style
A striker built around the counter right hand and the left hook. His 23 wins break down as 9 by knockout or TKO, 4 by submission and 10 by decision; heavier grapplers have tended to drag him into the judges' hands.
Career
Song announced himself as a main-event fighter on April 29, 2023, stopping Ricky Simón with strikes at 1:10 of the fifth round, then outpointing Chris Gutiérrez over five rounds that December. He dropped a unanimous decision to Petr Yan at UFC 299 on March 9, 2024, but rebounded on February 22, 2025 with a unanimous technical decision over former two-division champion Henry Cejudo.
A January 24, 2026 decision loss to Sean O'Malley at UFC 324 was followed by the best win of his career: on May 30, 2026 in Macau (UFC Fight Night 277) he submitted former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo with a guillotine choke at 4:42 of round two. That result on Chinese soil earned him the Shanghai headline slot.
UFC Shanghai (August 29, 2026)
Song meets Nurmagomedov in the UFC Shanghai main event. The pair share a common opponent in Figueiredo — Song finished him, Nurmagomedov beat him on the cards. Japanese fighters Kai Asakura and Rei Tsuruya also appear on the same card. This page will be updated once the result is official.
Sources: UFC.com athlete and rankings pages, Wikipedia. All figures as of August 20, 2026.
Fight history
- WDeiveson FigueiredoW SUB R2 4:42 (guillotine choke)
- LSean O'MalleyL UD 3
- WHenry CejudoW Technical Decision (unanimous) 3
- LPetr YanL UD 3
- WChris GutiérrezW UD 5
- WRicky SimónW TKO R5 1:10
FAQ
- What is Song Yadong's record?
- He is 23-9-1 as of August 20, 2026 — 9 knockouts, 4 submissions and 10 decisions.
- How old was Song Yadong when he debuted in the UFC?
- He was 19. His first UFC bout came on November 25, 2017.
- Who does Song Yadong fight next?
- He headlines UFC Shanghai against Umar Nurmagomedov on August 29, 2026, a five-round bantamweight main event in his home country.
- Has Song Yadong fought for a UFC title?
- No. As of August 20, 2026 he is ranked No. 6 at bantamweight and has not yet challenged for the belt.