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MMA World Goes Wild After Song Yadong Knocks Out Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Shanghai 

MMA world is buzzing with shock as Umar Nurmagomedov suffered a shocking knockout loss at the hands of Song Yadong at UFC Shanghai.

Kshitiz Kumar Singh
Kshitiz Kumar Singh
5 Min Read
260829 -- SHANGHAI, Aug. 29, 2026 -- Song Yadong of China celebrates after winng the UFC Fight Night Bantamweight Bout Main Event 5 Rounds against Umar Nurmagomedov of Russia at the Oriental Sports Center in east China s Shanghai, Aug. 29, 2026. SPCHINA-SHANGHAI-ROAD TO UFC CN LixMing PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN
by Kshitiz Kumar Singh

Heading into UFC Shanghai, not many fans gave Song Yadong much of a chance against Umar Nurmagomedov. The Dagestani entered the headliner as a massive -600 favorite, but Yadong pulled off the unthinkable, becoming the first fighter to knock out Nurmagomedov and handing him just the second loss of his 22-fight MMA career.

Yadong capitalized on Nurmagomedov’s tendency to dip his head to the left, timing a brutal right uppercut that landed flush on the side of his head. The Chinese contender followed up with several more punches before the referee rushed in to stop the chaos at 1:48 of the second round.

The Shanghai crowd erupted for its hometown hero, who entered the fight as a sizable underdog against a fighter who had previously lost only to Merab Dvalishvili and had gone 8-1 inside the Octagon. The victory also marked Yadong’s first knockout since 2023 and could propel him straight into the bantamweight title picture.

 

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For Nurmagomedov, the defeat is a major setback. The former title challenger spent much of fight week discussing his desire for a rematch with Dvalishvili, but his plans have now taken a serious hit after suffering the first knockout loss of his career.

Yadong, meanwhile, is firmly in the mix at 135 pounds. His stunning finish has shaken up the contender picture and sent the MMA world into an uproar. With Dvalishvili and Petr Yan set to fight for the bantamweight title at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, Yadong could even find himself in the conversation as a potential backup fighter for the event.

Regardless of what comes next, the MMA world reacted instantly to the massive upset, with fans and fighters alike weighing in on the stunning result. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest reactions.

 

 

 

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ByKshitiz Kumar Singh
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Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.

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