Heading into UFC Macau, Song Yadong carried far more pressure than just bouncing back from a loss. With the local crowd having a miserable night inside Galaxy Arena, the Chinese star eventually became the lone bright spot by defeating former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
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The event had quickly turned into a disaster for local fans. Zhang Mingyang was defeated by Alonzo Menifield, Ding Meng by José Souza, Aoriqileng by Cody Haddon, Xiong Jing Nan by Angela Hill, and Zhu Kangjie by Rodrigo Vera.
Even Sumudaerji‘s bout against Alex Perez ended in frustration after an accidental groin strike resulted in a no contest. By the time the main event arrived, China was still looking for its first win of the night.
Luckily for the home fans, ‘Kung Fu Kid’ rose to the occasion.
The fifth-ranked bantamweight looked sharp from the start, controlling the tempo and refusing to let Deiveson Figueiredo get any significant momentum. The Brazilian came into the fight desperate for a win after losing three of his previous four fights, but he never seemed comfortable against the 28-year-old’s pressure, movement, and increasingly confident striking.
As the bout went on, Song Yadong’s dominance became clear. Every time ‘Deus de Guerra’ tried to change the dynamic through wrestling, the Chinese contender had an answer ready.
The former flyweight champion repeatedly searched for openings to turn the tide, but ‘Kung Fu Kid’ always slammed the door before any momentum could be built.
The finish arrived late in the second round when Deiveson Figueiredo once again looked to use his grappling. Instead, he was locked in a tight guillotine choke. The 28-year-old locked it in instantly, leaving the Brazilian with no other option but to tap at 4:42 in Round 2.
The victory could not have arrived at a better moment for Song Yadong. Not only does it erase the disappointment of his loss to Sean O’Malley earlier this year, but it also cements his place among the top contenders at 135 pounds.
More importantly, on a night where Chinese fighters went 1-5 with one no-contest, Song Yadong kept UFC Macau from becoming a complete home-country collapse, and fans couldn’t help but celebrate it.
Fight fans rejoice as Song Yadong leaves UFC Macau as the only Chinese fighter to get a win
The relief from fans was almost immediate once Song Yadong got the submission. After spending the entire night watching local fighters fall short one after the other, many fans believed the Chinese star had single-handedly saved the event from becoming a total disaster for the home crowd.
“WOOOOW. Song Yadong subs Figgy with the Gilly and saves China from a winless card!” one fan tweeted, while another wrote, “Song Yadong having to carry China on his back himself.”
Others couldn’t believe how quickly the finish came together, with reactions such as, “Amazing finish, that was locked in tight and fast,” and “Don’t be silly! Song Yadong just jumped the gilly!”
The celebrations were also mixed with concern about what the rest of the card meant for the UFC’s future in the country. With Chinese fighters going winless throughout the night until ‘The Kung Fu Kid’ entered the cage, some fans doubled down that the promotion desperately needed the hometown hero to deliver, or else it might’ve proved to be the promotion’s last ever show in the country.
“Song Yadong just saved the Chinese market for UFC,” one fan wrote. Another added, “China genuinely needed that, or the UFC economy would have collapsed.” Some were even less optimistic, posting, “I don’t see the UFC returning anytime soon.”
Meanwhile, much of the criticism landed on Deiveson Figueiredo. The former flyweight champion has now lost four of his last five fights, and many fans believe his best days are behind him.
“Figgy really needs to put the gloves down,” one reaction read. Others were even harsher, writing, “Cut Figgy; he’s boring and washed,” and “Figgy has been lousy since moving up.”
Whether that’s fair or not, the conversation after UFC Macau largely belonged to Song Yadong. On a night when Chinese MMA desperately needed a hero, ‘The Kung Fu Kid’ stepped up to be just that.
