Song Yadong respects Henry Cejudo, but he intends to be the fighter who ends the former two-division UFC champion's career this weekend.
Song will face the Olympic gold medalist in the main event of UFC Fight Night Seattle this Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena.
Since returning from a brief retirement in 2023, Cejudo has suffered back-to-back decision losses — first in a close fight against then-champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288 and more recently in a dominant defeat to current champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298 in February 2024.
Song, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back after a close decision loss to former champion Petr Yan at UFC 299 last March, which halted his two-fight win streak. At just 27 years old, the Chinese standout acknowledges the challenge ahead and his opponent's impressive credentials.
Seeing Cejudo’s position at this stage of his career, Song believes that a victory on Saturday will send the veteran into retirement.
Yeah, I think if he lost this one, this is his last fight, the last round,” Song told MMA Fighting. “But I will win the fight. I believe this is his last one, [his] last fight. This will be the last fight in Seattle. Time is over, it’s time to retire.
Though he understands the significance of potentially retiring Cejudo, the young contender is also excited about the moment. He’s thrilled to be headlining his first event in front of a large Seattle crowd and finally securing the fight he’s been pursuing for nearly a year.
That’s what I [wanted],” Song said. “Last year, in May, I called him out. UFC wanted me to fight him in September, but he got injured and we finally got this one. Yeah, he’s a very good fighter—two-division UFC champion, Olympic champion, a lot of achievements. It’s an honor to fight him.
For Song, this fight is a massive opportunity. He believes a victory over a legend like Cejudo will push him into bigger matchups and move him closer to his ultimate goal of becoming a UFC champion.
So if I win this fight, I have another chance to challenge the top 5,” Song explained. “If I win this one, give me top 5 fighters, for sure, [then] one more, two more, I will get a title shot.
With the stakes high for both fighters, UFC Seattle promises to be a pivotal night in the bantamweight division.