Song Yadong earned a massive main event finish earlier tonight (Sat., April 29, 2023) at UFC Vegas 72 live on ESPN2/ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, as the featherweight contender stunned Ricky Simon with a fifth-round TKO (punches).
After a pretty even first round Song found his mark in the second with heavy shots. He scored a knockdown after an accidental clash of heads and hurt Simon a few more times with hard body punches along the cage. Simon answered with a nice takedown in the third round, but Song once again landed volume over the final two minutes.
Song was the more active fighter in the fourth as well, landing solid leg kicks and inside combinations to the body. Simon simply couldn’t find is rhythm. Song ended up scoring a massive knockdown with seconds left in the round. The Chinese fighter would land another two knockdowns in the fifth followed by a flurry of punches before referee Herb Dean stepped in for the TKO stoppage.
Check out the full fight video highlights below courtesy of UFC/ESPN:
Looking to take his win streak to 6??
[ @RickySimonUFC | #UFCVegas72 ] pic.twitter.com/gS1PcLcSg2
— UFC (@ufc) April 30, 2023
All smiles heading into this one
[ @SongYadongLFG | #UFCVegas72 ] pic.twitter.com/wI4qgWjIRy
— UFC (@ufc) April 30, 2023
TIME TO FIGHT #UFCVegas72 pic.twitter.com/ULT0GyPLXe
— UFC (@ufc) April 30, 2023
SONG ALMOST HAD THE FINISH #UFCVEGAS72 pic.twitter.com/AKBagxkOIF
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 30, 2023
SAVED BY THE BELL #UFCVEGAS72 pic.twitter.com/p0nYIWJqjk
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 30, 2023
SONG YADONG CAPS OFF A MASTERPIECE WITH A FIFTH ROUND KNOCKOUT OF RICKY SIMON #UFCVegas72 pic.twitter.com/R1X50XlBnn
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) April 30, 2023
For complete UFC Vegas 72 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.