Song Yadong and Cory Sandhagen squared off in a Bantamweight contest earlier tonight (Sat., Sept. 17, 2022) from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. In a strong showing, Sandhagen stopped Yadong via a nasty cut that forced the doctor’s hand.
Unexpectedly, Sandhagen pressed early and tried to a double leg takedown. Yadong broke the clinch with a small elbow and returned to the center. Sandhagen stuck a right hand to the mid-section, but Yadong answered with a crisp left hook, prompting another takedown attempt from Sandhagen. A third shot from Sandhagen saw him reversed into his guard. Yadong briefly took his back, but Sandhagen returned to his feet before long and ripped a body kick. “The Kungfu Monkey” snapped his opponent’s head back with a few jabs, but Sandhagen answered with some clean kicks to end a competitive opening round.
Yadong pressured more early in the second, and he wobbled Sandhagen with a heavy pair of left hooks. Sandhagen briefly scored a takedown, but Yadong popped right back up and kept winning the exchanges in the pocket. The fight moved into the clinch, but Yadong was bleeding freely from a sneaky Sandhagen counter elbow. The pace slowed a bit as they returned to the center, but Sandhagen did keep digging his low kicks. Yadong finished the round with a big flurry, though only some of it made it through the guard.
Sandhagen opened the third with some movement and low kicks, staying evasive. Yadong timed a clean counter right hand. Sandhagen showed a takedown attempt and landed a knee on the break. Yadong was having difficulty getting into his rhythm, whereas Sandhagen was doing good work in picking his shots at off-beat moments. Sandhagen was really beginning to pull away with his activity, even if Yadong didn’t seem particularly bothered by anything that landed.
Yadong started the fourth fast, landing a body kick and combination of punches. Sandhagen answered with a beautiful combination of his own, punctuating it with a liver kick. Yadong caught a kick and tripped Sandhagen to the canvas, taking his opponent down but opening up his cut in the process. Sandhagen turned his back and worked up quickly. Back in the open, Yadong landed a big right hand, but Sandhagen answered with a trio of jabs. Finally, Sandhagen secured his first takedown of the fight with a minute remaining in the round. He maintained control from within the guard until the bell.
As Yadong’s eye continued to worsen, the doctor finally advised stopping the fight, and referee Herb Dean ended the contest. Yadong really started the fight strong, but as soon as Sandhagen sliced open his eye with that sharp up elbow, the tide really turned.
Credit to “The Sandman,” that was a crafty solution to Yadong’s aggressive power punching.
Result: Sandhagen via fourth-round TKO (doctor stoppage)
For complete UFC Vegas 60: “Sandhagen vs. Song” results and play-by-play, click HERE!