UFC Shanghai looked like a rough night for the Chinese fighters for most of the card, with the home country going just 2-6 heading into the main event. Then Song Yadong completely flipped the script. The Chinese bantamweight pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year, brutally knocking out Umar Nurmagomedov in the second round at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center.
Nurmagomedov started quickly, opening with a low kick before Song answered with one of his own and followed up with a body kick. Song later threw another low kick, but Nurmagomedov caught it and used the opportunity to score a takedown. Song immediately looked for a guillotine, but Nurmagomedov slipped his head free and took control on the mat.
Nurmagomedov stayed on top for much of the sequence, but Song showed plenty of composure and worked his way back to his feet with just over a minute remaining. He landed a clean right hand before Nurmagomedov shoved him away, but the Chinese contender had done enough to escape the opening round without taking significant damage.
TOTAL MADNESS AT #UFCShanghai🤯@SongYadongLFG with the biggest moment of his career!!! pic.twitter.com/op48pu2a62
— UFC (@ufc) August 29, 2026
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That seemed to give Song plenty of confidence heading into Round 2. Nurmagomedov opened the second with a couple of leg kicks before changing levels and shooting for another takedown. This time, Song was ready. He stuffed the attempt and, as Nurmagomedov dipped forward, timed a short right uppercut perfectly.
The punch landed flush on the side of Nurmagomedov’s head near the ear and instantly changed the fight. Nurmagomedov went completely unconscious, with Song following up with a few more punches before the referee rushed in to stop the chaos at 1:48 of the second round.
It was a picture-perfect finish from Song, who entered the fight as a sizable underdog against an opponent who had only lost to Merab Dvalishvili and was 8-1 inside the Octagon. The victory also gave Yadong his first knockout since 2023 and could put him right into the bantamweight title picture.
The Team Alpha Male fighter has now won three of his last four fights, with his only loss during that stretch coming via a narrow decision against Sean O’Malley in January. The Chinese fighter improved to 24-9-1 (1 NC) with the win, while Nurmagomedov dropped to 20-2 and saw his two-fight winning streak snapped.
full live reaction from both corner cams to Umar getting KOd by Song Yadong at #UFCShanghai pic.twitter.com/OaWXINLfU9
— lvlayor (@mayoriwnl) August 29, 2026
More importantly, the loss could push the former title challenger further away from another shot at the 135-pound belt. With Petr Yan set to defend the bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili in their trilogy fight at UFC 333 on October 24, Yadong has suddenly put himself in an interesting position.
A backup role or a fight with the winner could be next, but after what he just did to Nurmagomedov, it will be hard to argue that Song Yadong doesn’t belong near the top of the division.
UFC Shanghai Full Card Results
- Song Yadong def. Umar Nurmagomedov via KO (right uppercut) (R2, 1:48)
- Denise Gomes def. Yan Xiaonan via TKO (strikes) (R1, 4:49)
- Kai Asakura def. Aoriqileng via TKO (strikes) (R2, 0:34)
- Sumudaerji def. Alex Perez via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
- Liu Ce def. Levi Rodrigues Jr. via KO (right hook) (R1, 4:26)
- Bilal Hasan def. Nilson Rojas via KO (punch) (R2, 2:28)
- Andre Lima def. Namsrai Batbayar via submission (guillotine choke) (R3, 3:03)
- Rei Tsuruya def. Kevin Borjas via submission (rear-naked choke) (R1, 4:14)
- Sean Woodson def. Jack Jenkins via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
- Francesco Nuzzi def. Xiao Long via TKO (strikes) (R1, 1:00)
- Hector Santiago def. Lawrence Lui via KO (punches) (R2, 0:53)
- Julia Polastri def. Xiong Jingnan via KO (head kick) (R1, 3:06)
- Cam Nelson def. Ding Meng via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
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.
