Yadong stuns MMA world with knockout win over Umar Nurmagomedov
MMA fighter Song Yadong knocked out Umar Nurmagomedov in the second round with an uppercut, handing him only the second loss of his career. The win could put Yadong in line for a bantamweight title shot.
The MMA world was taken by surprise as Song Yadong knocked out Umar Nurmagomedov in front of his own fans.
How the fight unfolded
The first round followed the familiar pattern seen in bouts involving fighters from the Dagestani school, with Nurmagomedov controlling the action on the ground despite solid resistance from Yadong. In the second round, both fighters were willing to trade standing, which played to Yadong's advantage. When Nurmagomedov attempted to take the fight back to the ground, Yadong met him with a perfectly timed uppercut that ended the contest by knockout.
Career implications
For the 30-year-old Nurmagomedov, this marks only the second loss of his career. His previous defeat came in a bantamweight (61.2 kg) title fight, where he lost a decision to then-champion Merab Dvalishvili.
Yadong, meanwhile, improved his record to 24 wins in 35 professional fights.
What it means for the title picture
The bout against Yadong was widely seen as Nurmagomedov's last stepping stone toward another shot at the bantamweight title. Following this result, that opportunity may now shift to Yadong, who is currently ranked sixth in the bantamweight division. The next title challenger could be determined by the outcome of the upcoming third meeting between Dvalishvili and Petr Yan.
