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411’s UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song Report

August 29, 2026 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 6 a.m. ET)
#3 Umar Nurmagomedov (135.5 lbs.) vs. #6 Song Yadong (136 lbs.)
#14 Denise Gomes (115 lbs.) vs. #4 Yan Xiaonan (115.5 lbs.)
Kai Asakura (135.5 lbs.) vs. Aoriqileng (135.5 lbs.)
Sumudaerji (125 lbs.) vs. #11 Alex Perez (126 lbs.)
Liu Ce (206 lbs.) vs. Levi Rodrigues Jr. (206 lbs.)
Bilal Hasan (124.5 lbs.) vs. Nilson Rojas (124.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 3 a.m. ET)
Namsrai Batbayar (126 lbs.) vs. Andre Lima (127 lbs.)*
Kevin Borjas (126 lbs.) vs. Rei Tsuruya (125 lbs.)
Jack Jenkins (145 lbs.) vs. Sean Woodson (145 lbs.)
Xiao Long (135 lbs.) vs. Francesco Nuzzi (136 lbs.)
Lawrence Lui (135.5 lbs.) vs. Hector Santiago (135 lbs.)
Xiong Jingnan (117 lbs.)* vs. Julia Polastri (118.5 lbs.)*
Ding Meng (170 lbs.) vs. Cam Nelson (170 lbs.)

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. The UFC is back in Shanghai for this one and they’ve brought a pretty solid Fight Night card. In the main event top contender Umar Nurmagomedov looks to get back into the title picture while perennial top 10 but never top 5 contender Song Yadong tries once again to break through the ceiling that he keeps bumping into. We’ve also got Yan Xiaonan returning after a layoff to take on the rising talent of Denise Gomes, Kai Asakura is back in action at bantamweight against Aoriqileng, former K-1 cruiserweight champion Liu Ce makes his UFC debut as well. On the prelims Namsrai Batbayar debuts against Andre Lima, Rei Tsuruya is back, there’s also Jack Jenkins vs. Sean Woodson which should be good fun. All in all it’s not perfect but for a Fight Night on the road it’s pretty solid on paper, now let’s hope the action delivers.

UFC Fight Night Nurmagomedov vs. Song comes to the world from the SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. On commentary we’ve got a new trio of Brendan Fitzgerald, Dominick Cruz, and the debuting Michael Chiesa. I’m curious how Chiesa will do, he’s been OK on the analyst desk but this is a different animal. Joe Martinez is handling the announcing while Charly Arnolt is our roving reporter. We’ll be in the usual 30 foot cage and should be under the newer rules but I’ll keep you updated of course if that’s inaccurate.

Ding Meng dropped his UFC debut back in May but now he’s back in action and looking for his first UFC win. Cam Nelson brings a five fight winning streak into his UFC debut and he’s looking to keep that momentum going with another win. Close one here, -150 on Ding to +120 for Nelson.

Welterweight Bout: Ding Meng (35-10, 170 lbs.) vs. Cam Nelson (7-1, 170 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ding is three inches taller with half an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Circling from Ding and a bit of stance switching. Nelson stalks forward a bit, both men doing a bit of range finding but nothing serious yet. Bit of a right from Ding. Nelson lands a leg kick. Ding pokes out a few low kicks then lands a more serious calf kick and a left hand. Left hand from Ding, Nelson responds with a right of his own. A few more low kicks go back and forth. Nelson avoids a few punches then hits a double leg into half guard. Ding tries to start wall walking, Nelson with a wrist ride and he lands some left hands. Ding really needs to get his right arm back but it’s died up in a bit of the old Dagestani handcuff. Nelson lands some more punches, Ding sits on the fence briefly but eats an elbow as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nelson

ROUND TWO: Ding opens the round with a spinning back kick. Both men show more kicks while moving around. Bit of a calf kick from Ding. Body kick from Ding. Nelson lands a left hook. Ding with a right hand then a bit of a left hook. Glancing right hand from Ding. Nelson tries a takedown and finishes it against the fence, Ding’s takedown defense leaves a lot to be desired. Full guard for Ding but he needs to wall walk and instead is just kind of pinned against the fence. Nelson moves to half guard and lands a few punches. A few more rights from Nelson are thrown then he looks for a pass but Ding blocks it. Ding finally wall walks but Nelson spins him back down and moves to 3/4 mount. Full mount for Nelson and he drops punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nelson, 20-18 Nelson overall

ROUND THREE: Ding shows the jab to get the round going. Left to the body from Ding, he looks to brawl then Nelson forces a clinch on the fence. Ding is able to spin free and gets back to pressuring forward. Left to the body again from Ding. Nelson shoots, Ding sprawls but Nelson wrestles up into another clinch but Ding knees him then separates. Ding avoids another takedown, Nelson forces the clinch again though. Ding lands an elbow in close then separates. Bit of a right hand from Ding, Nelson clinches again but gets pressed into the fence. Bit of an elbow from Ding as they break, then he lands a left to the body. Nelson tries a takedown, fails, but gets another clinch to keep trying to kill the clock. A few knees are traded then they break. Left hand from Ding but Nelson gets a clinch. They jockey for position, then Nelson finally hits an outside trip to get on top in half guard. Nelson moves to side control and just kind of hangs out as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ding, 29-28 Nelson overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Cam Nelson via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Fitzgerald is handling the interviews tonight, guess neither Cruz nor Chiesa is up to it. Nelson mentions taking the fight on 3 weeks notice and sends love back home to his family and team, dedicating the win to a coach who passed away in January to cancer.

Xiong Jingnan just had a five fight winning streak broken in her UFC debut, at age 38 if she’s going to actually accomplish anything in the UFC she really needs to get back on the winning side of things. She also missed weight here, never good. Julia Polastri has traded wins and losses while going 2-3 in the UFC, most recently she dropped a decision and now tries to avoid her first UFC losing streak. Polastri also missed weight for this fight. The odds like Polastri at -290 to Xiong’s +195 comeback.

Strawweight Bout: Xiong Jingnan (19-3, 117 lbs.)* vs. Julia Polastri (14-6, 118.5 lbs.)*

ROUND ONE: Xiong is two inches taller while Polastri has half an inch of reach advantage, Polastri is also 10 years younger and of course both women missed weight. Polastri checks an inside calf kick to start. Body kick from Polastri. Xiong looks to move forward, both women are moving kind of erratically. Bit of a left hook from Xiong. Xiong lands a right to the body. Polastri lands another body kick. Xiong hits the body a couple of times then lands mostly a chopping hammer fist standing, not sure how useful that strike is. Spinning back kick from Xiong. Both women land in close. Xiong lands a right hand, that one was straighter. Polastri lands a body kick. Xiong with another left to the body. They tie up and Polastri lands knees to the body, Xiong then lands a right hand before they break. Polastri backs things up to the fence then ENDS Xiong with a head kick.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Julia Polastri via KO, head kick, at 3:06 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mrs. Polastri for her work. Mic time for Polastri, she plays a bit with the crowd then puts over her team. She has to go to Portuguese so we’ve got the double translator set up, she puts over Xiong as aggressive but knew she could her to be reckless then land a devastating blow.

Lawrence Liu brings a five fight winning streak into this fight, he won his way into the UFC on a Road to UFC tournament and now looks to break in his contract with a win. Hector Santiago took this fight on somewhat short notice but he’s on a two fight winning streak and will be trying to make the most of his chance here. Lui is a pretty decent favorite at -345 to a +255 payout on Santiago.

Bantamweight Bout: Lawrence Lui (8-1, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Hector Santiago (6-1, 135 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lui is an inch and a half taller with four and a half inches of reach advantage. Santiago moves forward early while Lui shows a few front kicks. Jab from Lui. Santiago shows a few rights to try and deter the jab of Lui. Lui lands a calf kick. Another calf kick from Lui. Santiago keeps moving forward and looking to throw bombs. Lui blocks some punches. Santiago with a few body punches in close as he avoids a clinch. Lui lands another calf kick. Left hook from Lui to counter a right hand. A few jabs from Lui land. Santiago lands a left to the body. Lui tries a single leg, Santiago defends but Lui lands a knee before he can fully separate. Santiago hits the body again. Santiago keeps moving forward and he’s really getting fluid with his punches. Lui lands another calf kick. Santiago walks into a right hand. Left hook from Santiago then he follows up with a few hooks. Lui lands a calf kick then tries a jab but Santiago counters with a right hand. Bit of an inside calf kick from Lui to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Santiago

ROUND TWO: Both men show jabs to get the round going. Lui has some swelling around the right eye. Right hand from Lui. Santiago with a right to the body then both men trade and Santiago seems the better brawler, he drops Lui then unloads on the mat to get the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Hector Santiago via KO, punches, at :53 of Round 2

Mic time for Santiago, again the dual translator set up, he plays with the crowd a bit then says this whole thing has been a dream as he took this fight 10 days ago then thanks his team and family.

Xiao Long has gone just 1-2 in the UFC and is on a two fight losing streak, most recently dropping a decision to the quite washed up Cody Garbrandt. Xiao needs to get back on the right side of things here as 1-3 in your first four is a really tough situation to overcome. Francesco Nuzzi fought to a No Contest in his last fight but now he’s making his UFC debut and will be looking to make it a memorable one. Another competitive bout here, -170 on Xiao to Nuzzi’s +135.

Bantamweight Bout: Xiao Long (27-11, 135 lbs.) vs. Francesco Nuzzi (11-2 2 NC, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Xiao is two inches taller but Nuzzi has an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Nuzzi, Xiao opens with a flying knee that briefly off balances Nuzzi. Nuzzi lands a left to the body. Both men miss punches, then Xiao complains of an eye poke so we get a time out. Replay confirms the finger to the eye as the doctor comes in to check on Xiao. Xiao can continue and we’re back to fighting after 1:15. Cut kick from Xiao to counter a high kick. Hard left hand from Nuzzi, he follows up and drops Xiao to his knees then keeps punching and the ref steps in to stop things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Francesco Nuzzi via TKO, punches, at 1:00 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nuzzi for his work. Mic time for Nuzzi, his coach has to do the Italian translation, he thanks God and says he knows he’s a UFC caliber fighter. He closes by yelling something to Dana White, who I don’t think is here.

Jack Jenkins has gone 4-2 in the UFC with his only losses coming to Chepe Mariscal and Gabriel Santos, most recently he beat Ramon Taveras 11 months ago and now he’s trying to build another winning streak. Sean Woodson just had a seven fight unbeaten streak halted by Dan Ige, now he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak and prove he’s still got a high ceiling in the division. The odds lean towards Woodson at -150 to a +120 comeback on Jenkins.

Featherweight Bout: Jack Jenkins (14-4, 145 lbs.) vs. Sean Woodson (13-2-1, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Woodson is a serious seven and a half inches taller with a huge 10 inches of reach advantage. Early calf kick from Woodson as he looks to keep range early. Woodson shows a few jabs as well, just using long range weapons to range find. Both men show stance switches but seem to favor orthodox overall. Another calf kick from Woodson. Woodson with a right hand to counter a calf kick then lands a follow up right hand. Jenkins bulls forward and lands an uppercut. Calf kick from Jenkins. Short left hook from Woodson. Jenkins lands a calf kick, Woodson returns it. Woodson starts to pressure forward now and lands a front kick then a calf kick. Right hand from Woodson as Jenkins was moving forward. Woodson lands a left hand. Jenkins gets close and avoids a couple of hooks then lands a calf kick. One two from Woodson. Bit of a left hook from Woodson then a body kick. Hard right from Woodson drops Jenkins for a second but he bounces back up. Woodson lands a couple of punches. Jenkins lands a left hand. Calf kick from Woodson. Front kicks from Woodson, then they trade lefts to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Woodson

ROUND TWO: Jenkins quickly pushes into a clinch on the fence. Bit of an elbow from Jenkins before Woodson slips free. Cut kick from Woodson sweeps Jenkins then Woodson gets on top in side control. D’arce attack from Woodson, Jenkins is able to sweep though to get on top in half guard. Woodson wrestles to his knees, Jenkins gets the back though with both hooks in. Jenkins starts fishing for a choke but Woodson is hand fighting so far. Woodson throws some punches over his shoulder, not much on those. Jenkins moves to top half guard as Woodson starts looking to wall walk. Woodson gets to full guard then Jenkins lands a left hand. Knee from Jenkins as Woodson wall walks into a clinch. They jockey for position then Woodson thinks about a takedown before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Jenkins, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Jenkins comes out looking to press forward and swing punches. Woodson lands a combination. Front kick from Woodson. A few calf kicks go back and forth. Jenkins lands an inside calf kick. Left hand from Woodson. They trade lefts. Body kick from Woodson then a left hand. Combination from Woodson again. Woodson lands a jab. Jenkins lands a left hand in close. Woodson lands a right hand. Jenkins with a left hook again. Hard right hand from Woodson then a left hook to follow up and Jenkins then grabs a clinch. Jenkins lands a short punch as they break. Woodson lands another right hand. Jab from Woodson, that man can just hit you from the next county over. They trade low kicks. Front kick from Woodson then a right hand. Left hand from Jenkins in close. Jenkins bulls for a takedown, that hits the fence and stalls out. Woodson avoids a spinning elbow but Jenkins keeps the clinch. Woodson drops some elbows to the head. Left hand from Jenkins, they break then Woodson lands a bit of a right hand as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Woodson but a close one, 29-28 Woodson overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sean Woodson via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Woodson has a ton of physical gifts and talents but man he’s just doomed to be in tight fights and split decisions forever. Mic time for Woodson, he knows the fight was close but felt he won two of the rounds. He feels amazing to fight and win in China and talks about just loving life.

Rei Tsuruya has only lost to Joshua Van, most recently he choked out Luis Gurule in a round and he’s hoping to prove he’s a rising force in the division with another win. Kevin Borjas has gone 2-4 in the UFC , he is coming off of a win where he missed weight though and he’s hoping to get his first UFC winning streak up and running. Tsuruya is among the bigger favorites on the card at -835 to a +525 on Borjas.

Flyweight Bout: Kevin Borjas (11-5, 126 lbs.) vs. Rei Tsuruya (11-1, 125 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Tsuruya is an inch taller but the reach is identical. They touch gloves then Tsuruya shoots immediately, Borjas defends at first but Tsuruya keeps with the wrestling and gets things to the fence. Tsuruya rides things down to the mat from a body lock and gets on top in half guard. A few body blows from Tsuruya then he gets posture and drops a few elbows. Borjas tries to start a wall walk, he’s sitting on the fence now at least. Another elbow from Tsuruya as Borjas gets full guard. Tsuruya with some more strikes, Borjas tries K guard but Tsuruya keeps punching him. The ground and pound pace from Tsuruya is impressive, he just keeps throwing punches or hammer fists. Tsuruya moves to mount against the fence and lands elbows and punches. Borjas is able to wall walk but Tsuruya gets to this back and sweeps him down then gets both hooks in. Tsuruya traps the left arm of Borjas in his hooks, that’s bad for Borjas and Tsuruya gets the choke then forces the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rei Tsuruya via Submission, rear naked choke, at 4:14 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Tsuruya for his work. Mic time for Tsuruya with the double translator set up, he’s very excited and expresses how much he loves the UFC. He talks us through the finish and knew once he had the back he could get the finish and wants a ranked opponent next. Might be a tad ambitious but he’s looked good his last couple of fights.

Andre Lima has gone 4-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of his first loss when he dropped a decision to a heavy Kevin Borjas, perhaps inspired by that Lima missed weight here, and is trying to avoid his first losing streak. Namsrai Batbayar is on a six fight winning streak including winning a Road to UFC tournament to get here, he’s looking to extend that and break in his UFC contract with a win. Despite the weight miss, or perhaps because of it, the odds are with Lima at -275 while +210 on Batbayar might be a tempting value bet.

Flyweight Bout: Namsrai Batbayar (10-1, 126 lbs.) vs. Andre Lima (11-1, 127 lbs.)*

ROUND ONE: Lima is three inches taller while Batbayar has half an inch of reach advantage, plus Lima missed weight. They touch gloves to get going. Batbayar shows a few kicks while circling around. Lima lands a calf kick. Some stance switching from Batbayar. Another calf kick from Lima. Batbayar throws an inside leg kick, Lima complains it went low so we’ve got a time out. Replay is a little iffy on that being low but Lima only takes 27 seconds anyway so it doesn’t matter too much. Lima comes out southpaw on the restart and avoids a few kicks. Bit of a right hand from Batbayar. Lima goes back orthodox. Calf kick from Batbayar. Lima is switching pretty freely now as well as he presses forward. Glancing right hand from Lima. Batbayar swings back but is mostly blocked. Calf kicks are traded. Jab from Lima. Batbayar with a bit of a spinning back kick. Both men avoid power hand punches. Lima lands a couple of calf kicks. Glancing right hand from Batbayar. Lima lands a body kick. Batbayar misses a few punches, he just looks still uncomfortable while Lima is just working the fundamentals. They just feint away the final seconds of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lima

ROUND TWO: Lima gets back to forward pressure. Bit of a body kick from Batbayar then a leg kick. Both men land punches in close. A couple of wide hooks partially land for Batbayar but Lima is blocking most of these. Bit of a combination from Batbayar then they clash on calf kicks. Batbayar is starting to just swing, he’s becoming OK hitting the guard of Lima to just break the pressure game. Lima lands a right hand. Batbayar lands a body kick. Lima lands a right hand. Jab and calf kick from Lima. Batbayar lands a right hand then misses a wheel kick. Another jab from Lima. Batbayar lands a right hand. Both men swing in close but don’t land flush. Left hand from Batbayar. Both men avoid power hand punches then Lima lands a body kick. Another body kick from Lima then fires a high kick that’s blocked. They split jabs. Both men land rights, Batbayar fires a follow up right that lands as well. Body kick from Lima, Batbayar swings punches to counter that are mostly blocked. Calf kick from Lima, that’ll be the last blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lima but Batbayar was much more in this one, 20-18 Lima overall

ROUND THREE: They hug for the final round. Bit of a blitz from Batbayar but he still can’t land flush. Calf kick from Lima, Batbayar returns it though. Batbayar misses a spinning back kick then lands a calf kick. Hard cross check on a low kick from Lima. Batbayar ties up the lands a left hook as he breaks. Body kick from Lima. Another calf kick from Lima then he blocks the counters. Lima lands another calf kick, Batbayar returns that one. Batbayar lands another calf kick. Batbayar misses a punch, then Lima jumps guard for a guillotine. That’s tight and Lima rolls to mount with it. Lima adjusts his grip on the choke and gets the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Andre Lima via Submission, guillotine choke, at 3:03 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Lima for his work. Mic time for Lima, he plays with the crowd a bit then says he came here to show off how exciting he is for Dana White. He says he’s going to have to move up to bantamweight as flyweight is becoming too much, then begs for a bonus despite missing weight. Yeah, that’s almost certainly not happening buddy.

Bilal Hasan is undefeated including a win on the Contender Series to get into the UFC, his quick finishes have generated a bit of hype and he’s looking to solidify himself as a prospect by remaining unbeaten. Nilson Rojas is also undefeated coming into his UFC debut, he’s looking to spring an upset here and announce his arrival with a victory. Hasan is a big favorite at -800 to +550 for Rojas.

Flyweight Bout: Bilal Hasan (9-0 1 NC, 124.5 lbs.) vs. Nilson Rojas (9-0, 124.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hasan is an inch taller with a serious seven inches of reach advantage. Hasan comes out kicking from the southpaw stance, he’s showing switches early. Calf kick from Hasan. Rojas moves forward and misses a jab. Left hook from Rojas but he eats a couple punches then a head kick. Hasan with another calf kick. Hard intercepting right from Hasan then a partial high kick as Roajas backs up. A front kick from Hasan hurts Rojas, he’s backing up but Hasan is being very measured in his follow ups. They tie up and Hasan lands knees to the body before Rojas gets free. Body kick from Hasan. Rojas bulls forward and looks to swing hooks but isn’t quite landing. They tie up, Hasan then hits an easy outside trip to get on top. A few punches from Hasan land as he’s standing over Rojas. Hasan gets the ride and looks for a choke. Blood is just leaking out of the nose of Rojas. Knee from Hasan as both men get upright. Jab from Rojas but Hasan responds with a combination of punches and kicks. Counter right from Hasan then a left to the body. Rojas bulls forward and hits the body. Hasan lands a left hand. Body kick from Hasan. Clubbing right hand from Rojas. Rojas lands a jab. They tie up, trade knees, then Rojas lands an elbow and pushes things to the fence. Some positional jockeying, Hasan lands a knee to the body then one to the head to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Hasan

ROUND TWO: Rojas fires a high kick to start the round. Hasan lands a left hand. Bit of a high kick from Hasan then a body kick behind it. Rojas drops Hasan with a front kick to the face but Hasan bounces back up and gets back to fighting. Right to the body from Rojas. Hasan lands a left hand. Rojas avoids a left hand. Glancing left from Hasan. Front kick from Hasan. Rojas lands a right to the body but misses a wild left hook. Some body blows from Rojas in close. Hasan kicks the body a couple of times, then floors Rojas with a right hand and that’ll end things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Bilal Hasan via KO, punch, at 2:28 of Round 2

Mic time for Hasan after that one, he plays with the crowd then wishes happy birthday to the departed Michael Jackson. He knew the fight would be tough but this was a very hard fight, then he puts over his team and thanks God. Asked about the future he insults Andre Lima then calls him for a fight. If Lima’s serious about moving up that’s unlikely.

Liu Ce is a former champion and now makes the move to MMA full time, he’s looking to showcase his skills and make a splash in a division perpetually in need of help these days. Levi Rodrigues Jr. dropped his UFC debut back in July, he got signed off the Contender Series despite failing a drug test for that bout, and now is really trying to get back on the winning side of things. The odds like Liu at -185 to a +155 comeback on Rodrigues.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Liu Ce (3-1, 206 lbs.) vs. Levi Rodrigues Jr. (5-1 1 NC, 206 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Liu is three and a half inches taller with half an inch of reach advantage. Both men do some early feinting then Liu lands a calf kick. Another calf kick from Liu then both men with punches in close. Rodrigues is working to close distance and swing in the pocket. Liu jabs the body then lands a calf kick. Bit of a right hand from Rodrigues. Body kick from Liu then he blocks a few punches. Spinning back kick from Liu mostly lands. Rodrigues counters a calf kick with a right hand. Rodrigues swings but can’t quite land a follow up. Jab from Liu. Rodrigues catches a body kick and pushes things to the fence. Right hand in close from Rodrigues. Right hand from Rodrigues on the break. Both men with punches on the break. Calf kick form Liu then a knee. Rodrigues swings a right hand. Liu lands a couple of jabs. Solid right hand from Liu drops Rodrigues for a second. Rodrigues back up but he’s still wobbled and bleeding from the nose. Liu jabs him to the fence then avoids a few punches. Jabs from Liu then a counter right hand, Rodrigues just covers up and Liu looks to unload but Rodrigues swings back to get him to back off. Again that counter right hook from Liu lands, he and Rodrigues both swing against the fence then Rodrigues with a couple hooks to stun Liu, but Liu then ENDS him with a right hand that puts Rodrigues face down and out cold.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Liu Ce via KO, punch, at 4:26 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Liu for his work. Pretty wild 4 minutes there. Mic time for Liu and the translator, that’s a different translator and I’m not sure why, he says he’s fought in Shanghai many times but tonight is amazing and he thanks the crowd. He talks us through the finish and admits Rodrigues punches hard but the crowd bolstered him through the hard moments.

Alex Perez has been very up and down lately, he did knockout Charles Johnson but missed weight for that fight and most recently was losing to Sumudaerji before getting kicked in the groin and the fight turning into a No Contest. Now Perez can right that wrong in a rematch by getting the win. Sumudaerji is unbeaten in his last four fights but most recently did go to the No Contest with Perez, he’s looking to keep the streak going here and make a move into the rankings. Given how their last fight was trending before the No Contest the odds are with Sumudaerji at -220 while that +180 payout on Perez is a tempting little value bet.

Flyweight Bout: Sumudaerji (19-7 1 NC, 125 lbs.) vs. #11 Alex Perez (26-10 1 NC, 126 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Sumudaerji is two inches taller with a significant six and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Sumudaerji who comes out kicking. Perez lands a right hand. Jab from Sumudaerji. Sumudaerji goes orthodox, Perez blitzes but misses most of the punches. Inside leg kick from Sumudaerji. Front kick from Sumudaerji. Perez misses another blitz then Sumudaerji lands an inside leg kick. A couple uppercuts land for Perez in close. Another inside leg kick from Sumudaerji. Body kick from Sumudaerji. Sumudaerji misses a few punches as Perez circles, then he lands a solid inside leg kick. Another inside calf kick from Sumudaerji, then another one. Bit of a left hand from Sumudaerji. Perez eats another inside leg kick then shoots and gets Sumudaerji down to his seat against the fence. Sumudaerji is thinking about a front choke of some kind, but the position seems a little off so he just lands an elbow. Perez has the legs collected but he’s using his arms for it so his offensive options are limited. The round will end in that spot.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sumudaerji

ROUND TWO: Sumudaerji resumes kicking to start the round. Perez misses a body kick. Both men land punches in close. A few jabs from Sumudaerji land. Inside leg kick from Sumudaerji, then another one. Perez hits a double leg against the fence. Sumudaerji wall walks, Perez gets to the back and hits a mat return. Some punches from Perez, Sumudaerji stands again but needs to get free now. Sumudaerji turns then Perez separates without incident. Another inside leg kick from Sumudaerji, he’s going to have to do more than just that. Perez gets a clinch and takes Sumudaerji down again, this time into full guard. A few body to head punches from Perez, nothing really on them but he’s keeping the ref out of things thus far. Some hammer fists from Perez as he moves to half guard, and that’s where the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Perez, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Sumudaerji lands an inside leg kick then a bit of a jab. Another inside leg kick from Sumudaerji. A few jabs from Sumudaerji then another inside leg kick. Perez looks to move forward, he shoots into a knee but gets the clinch anyway. Sumudaerji avoids being taken down along the fence. Short elbow from Sumudaerji as they break. Front kick from Sumudaerji. Sumudaerji with a one two. Perez punches forward, he tries a high crotch but things hit the fence again. Not much going on here, Sumudaerji lands a knee to the head. Perez is still trying for a single leg, Sumudaerji grabs at a ninja choke to complicate things but Perez postures through it. A nice counter from Sumudaerji and he gets to the back standing. Some knees to the leg from Sumudaerji before Perez gets free. Sumudaerji lands a right hook. Perez tries another single leg, that stalls on the fence again and Sumudaerji lands some elbows while Perez holds him. They break, then Sumudaerji misses a few wild attacks before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sumudaerji, 29-28 Sumudaerji overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sumudaerji via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Sumudaerji and the translator, he plays with the crowd then sends love to some sponsors as well as his team before expressing his support for the people of Tibet and Nepal who were hit with that apocalyptic flash flood event earlier this week.

Aoriqileng has been up and down while going 4-5 with 1 No Contest in the UFC, most recently he lost to Cody Haddon and really needs to get back on the winning side of things here if he wants to make a real move in the UFC. Kai Asakura dropped his first two UFC fights down at flyweight, then scored a quick and impressive win his return to bantamweight his last time out. Asakura is looking to continue making some headway in his new division with his first UFC winning streak. Asakura is a notable favorite at -450 to a +350 comeback on Aoriqileng.

Bantamweight Bout: Kai Asakura (22-6, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Aoriqileng (26-13 1 NC, 135.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Asakura is an inch taller while the reach is identical. They touch gloves to get things going. Circling from Asakura as both men show the jab. Bit of a calf kick from Asakura. Really respectful start from both men, neither is willing to commit too much. Aoriqileng misses a couple of lefts. Asakura lands a left to the body. Another left to the body from Asakura. Bit of a combination from Asakura. Aoriqileng lands a jab after both men landed rights. Calf kick from Asakura. Asakura lands another calf kick. Bit of a front kick from Aoriqileng. Combination from Asakura, Aoriqileng complains of an eye poke so we’ve got a time out. Replay is a little inconclusive then we’re back to fighting after 58 seconds. More pressure from Aoriqileng on the restart. Both men miss left hooks. Asakura pushes forward and both men land rights. Body kick from Asakura then he shoots into a clinch against the fence. A few lefts from Asakura land as the round ends with them clinched up.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Asakura

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves for the second round. Asakura lands a jab. Bit of a right hand from Aoriqileng. Asakura is showing the left hook a little more as this round starts, then he rocks Aoriqileng with a left high kick. A flurry from Asakura drops Aoriqileng against the fence, then a knee to the body and a couple of punches get the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kai Asakura via TKO, head kick and punches, at :34 of Round 2

Mic time for Asakura and the translators, he plays a bit with the crowd and is very happy. He talks us through the finish and thinks his striking is among the best. Asked about the future at bantamweight he wants a big fight, no name in particular just a big fight and a big name.

Yan Xiaonan failed to capture the strawweight title from Zhang Weili in 2024, most recently she lost to Virna Jandiroba. That loss was 18 months ago and now at 37 years old if she ever wants to get back to the title picture she cannot afford another loss here. Denise Gomes has gone 6-2 in the UFC but she’s on a four fight winning streak and a win here over Yan could propel her into the title picture. Despite the layoff and age gap the odds still lean to Yan at -150 while +125 for Gomes has to be getting some betting action.

Strawweight Bout: #14 Denise Gomes (12-3, 115 lbs.) vs. #4 Yan Xiaonan (19-5 1 NC, 115.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Yan is three inches taller but the reach is identical, Yan is also 11 years older. Both women come out range finding with kicks. Gomes shows the lead hand a bit. Yan with a bit of a right hand. Gomes shows some stance switching now and lands an inside leg kick. Yan looks to get her side kick working now. Gomes fires a high kick then looks to flurry and both women land in close. Left hand from Yan lands. Hard right hand from Gomes bothers Yan, she looks to follow up but Yan recovers pretty quickly. Yan lands a right hand. Left hook from Yan partially lands. Yan lands a right hand. Another right from Yan lands. Yan is showing side kicks to the knee now. Gomes lands a right hand. They tie up then trade as they break. Both women miss high kicks. Gomes blocks a combination but she’s winding up behind numerically. Gomes walks into a brutal intercepting elbow and crumples to the mat as the ref jumps into stop things.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Denise Gomes via TKO, elbow and punches, at 4:49 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mrs. Gomes for her work. Mic time for Gomes and the translators, she feels she’s blessed and knew she could get this finish. She talks us through the finish and mentions how hard she’s worked for her success. Asked about the future she will fight anyone. Well that’s a wasted opportunity.

Umar Nurmagomedov has gone 8-1 in the UFC and his only professional loss was a close title fight with Merab Dvalishvili last year. Nurmagomedov is on a two fight winning streak but he’s a little bit on the outside of the title picture given how much preferential treatment Sean O’Malley gets, he also hasn’t finished an opponent since 2023 but an impressive win here could put him back into the title discussion. Song Yadong has gone 12-4-1 in the UFC, he’s been with the UFC since 2018 and while he’s had a lot of success he’s also been pretty clearly blocked out of the very top of the division. Song has lost to Cory Sandhagen, Petr Yan, and Sean O’Malley recently, though he is coming off of a win and now he’s trying again to break through into the title picture. Nurmagomedov is a hefty favorite at -600 to Song’s +430 comeback.

Bantamweight Bout: #3 Umar Nurmagomedov (20-1, 135.5 lbs.) vs. #6 Song Yadong (23-9-1 1 NC, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Nurmagomedov has two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov with some range finding kicks early. Song is looking to get his lead hand working early. Bit of a body kick from Song. Nurmagomedov catches a low kick then shoots, and he gets Song down into half guard. Song tries a guillotine choke to counter but has to bail on it as he gets full guard. Nurmagomedov moves to half guard. A few short punches land for Nurmagomedov but nothing serious yet. Nurmagomedov lands a few more short punches, Song tries to sweep but Nurmagomedov wrestles with him and nearly gets the back before Song is able to stand free. Song lands a right to the body. Left hand from Song, Nurmagomedov counters with a right hook. Nurmagomedov shoves Song to the mat but doesn’t follow up. Song misses a head kick. They just circle away the end of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Nurmagomedov

ROUND TWO: A few jabs from Nurmagomedov to start the round. Nurmagomedov cross checks a body kick. Bit of a head kick from Nurmagomedov. Song sprawls away from a double leg. Lead leg high kick from Nurmagomedov lands. Both men land punches in close, Song is cut around the right eyebrow though. Song lands a right to the body. They get close, Song lands an uppercut I think and it just SLEEPS Nurmagomedov!

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Song Yadong via KO, punches, at 1:48 of Round 2

Mic time for Song, he plays with the crowd then says his team believe in him and he got the win here. He wants a title shot next and to become the first male Chinese UFC champion. I get the request but the next title fight is entirely dependent on the outcome of Yan vs. Dvalishvili. He kept believing in himself and thanks his team for their support. He came to the UFC 9 years ago and now wants to prove he’s become the best Chinese fighter in the world.

Well on that note UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song comes to a close. We’ll be unpacking the fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast so tune in over on the 411mania YouTube channel. We’ll also look ahead to next week when the UFC returns to Paris and we get the UFC debut of Salahdine Parnasse taking on Dan Hooker. I hope you’ll be back for that one, which has an early start time of noon Eastern. Until next time thank you all for reading whether it’s live or after the fact, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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