Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just one day away from the upcoming UFC Seattle mixed martial arts (MMA) event, set to go down tomorrow night (Sat., Feb. 22, 2025) on ESPN+ from inside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, featuring a bantamweight main event between former 135-pound champion, Henry Cejudo, and longtime division bruiser, Yadong Song, a five-round headliner with major title implications for late 2025 and beyond.
Before we dive into the main and co-main event, which includes the 185-pound rematch between No. 9-ranked middleweight, Brendan Allen, and No. 12-ranked Anthony Hernandez, get all the latest “Cejudo vs. Song” odds and betting props courtesy of FanDuel right here. For UFC Seattle live results and play-by-play click here.
135 lbs.: Henry Cejudo vs. Yadong Song
Henry “Triple C” Cejudo
Record: 16-4 | Age: 38 | Betting line: +230
Wins: 8 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 8 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 3 DEC
Height: 5’4“ | Reach: 64” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.77 | Striking accuracy: 46%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.29 | Striking Defense: 60%
Takedown Average: 1.99 (32% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 75%
Current Ranking: No. 7 | Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili
Yadong “Kung Fu Kid” Sadong
Record: 21-8-1, 1 NC | Age: 27 | Betting line: -285
Wins: 9 KO/TKO, 3 SUB, 9 DEC | Losses: 2 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 5 DEC, 1 DQ
Height: 5’8“ | Reach: 67” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.49 | Striking accuracy: 43%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.96 | Striking Defense: 55%
Takedown Average: 0.66 (40% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 72%
Current Ranking: No. 8 | Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to Petr Yan
Prime Henry Cejudo mops the floor with Yadong Song, which is probably not an outrageous statement. Unfortunately, Cejudo is no longer competing in his competitive prime at 38. Whether or not the fighter that remains is good enough to topple the “Kung Fu Kid” remains to be seen, but the outcome of this contest, in my opinion, largely depends on the mindset of the former two-division champion. Cejudo has struggled with motivation in the past, which includes his failure to make weight and his inability to commit to retirement, and we don’t yet know how consecutive losses will affect his mental preparation for UFC Seattle.
Cejudo will give up several inches in height and reach, as he does in most bantamweight contests, because he’s a natural flyweight and Song has five knockouts under the UFC banner, making this a perilous bout for the former champ. That said, Cejudo has four knockouts across his last six wins, so he may prove to be just as dangerous on the feet, particularly if he can keep Song from committing in fear of the takedown. That, in my book, is Cejudo’s greatest attribute. If he can use his Olympic-caliber wrestling to seamlessly transition between striking and wrestling, then Song will spend most of the fight on his heels, a place where victory is rarely found.
“I’m 11 years his elder,” Cejudo said during the UFC Seattle media day. “He’s an explosive fighter, really good at countering. He’s a guy that can shut your lights out with one punch. I think his greatest gift is also his worst enemy, that gas tank can go straight to empty. So, I love the fact that they’ve given me a younger fighter. I love the fact that my back is against the wall; there’s a chip on my shoulder. I love the fact that I’m an underdog. These are the moments where I shine. I appreciate all of it.”
Song has quietly put together a 10-3-1 record since making his Octagon debut back in late 2017 and wold probably find himself a little higher in the official rankings but has an uncanny ability to lose big fights just as he’s poised to reach the next level. That includes his ill-timed losses to Cory Sandhagen (UFC Vegas 60) and Petr Yan (UFC 299), two of the very best fighters at 135 pounds. Song strikes at high volume with below-average accuracy but stays busy on the feet and wrestles when he has to, showcasing a well-rounded arsenal from bell-to-bell. My biggest concern is how easily he was outwrestled by the likes of Kyler Phillips and Marlon Vera, among others, who are not on the level of Cejudo (or even close to it) when it comes to wrestling.
“Last year, in May, I called him out,” Song told MMA Fighting. “UFC wanted me to fight him in September, but he got injured and we finally got this one. Yeah, he’s a very good fighter. Two-division UFC champion, Olympic champion, a lot of achievements. It’s an honor to fight him. So if I win this fight, I have another chance to challenge the Top 5. If I win this one, give me Top 5 fighters, for sure, [then] one more, two more, I will get a title shot. I will win the fight. I believe this is his last one, [Cejudo’s] last fight. This will be the last fight in Seattle. Time is over, it’s time to retire.”
Cejudo may be coming off two straight losses but he was fighting a much bigger Aljamain Sterling and was perhaps unprepared for the insanity of Merab Dvalishvili. I’m not sure that makes him washed or whatever else the trolls are saying online, but Song is 27 years old and that certainly factors into the equation. I expect one last vintage performance from “Triple C,” who will pop, drop, and otherwise steamroll the “Kung Fu Kid” for the better part of 25 minutes — assuming he doesn’t swing recklessly and get KTFO in the opening frame.
Prediction: Cejudo def. Song by unanimous decision
185 lbs.: Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez
Brendan “All In” Allen
Record: 24-6 | Age: 29 | Betting line: +225
Wins: 5 KO/TKO, 14 SUB, 5 DEC | Losses: 2 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 3 DEC
Height: 6’2“ | Reach: 75” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.79 | Striking accuracy: 53%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.83 | Striking Defense: 46%
Takedown Average: 1.67 (39% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 58%
Current Ranking: No. 9 | Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to Nassourdine Imavov
Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez
Record: 13-2, 1 NC | Age: 31 | Betting line: -275
Wins: 3 KO/TKO, 8 SUB, 2 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 0 DEC
Height: 6’0“ | Reach: 75” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.90 | Striking accuracy: 63%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.88 | Striking Defense: 46%
Takedown Average: 6.64 (44% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 65%
Current Ranking: No. 12 | Last fight: Technical knockout win over Michel Pereira
Brendan Allen was defeated by Anthony Hernandez when they first went to war atop the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) 32 fight card back in early 2018. Both fighters would move on to find success in UFC and it was only a matter of time before they crossed paths once again. Allen is currently ranked three spots above Hernandez at No. 9, despite the fact that “Fluffy” is riding a six-fight win streak with five nasty finishes. To his credit, Allen is 7-1 since getting stopped by Chris Curtis at UFC Vegas 44 and his only loss during that span came against fast-rising middleweight contender Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Paris. It’s hard to go crazy over that defeat when you consider what Imavov has done in recent fights and “The Sniper” may even be one victory away from a 185-pound title shot.
“Me personally, I see [Hernandez] as the same guy,” Allen said during the UFC Seattle media day. “Just a bit more refined and more polished, but he still does the same things. He still focuses on his cardio. He’s still, to me, the same guy. I was so young and immature then, mentally. I’m a completely different guy. I fought like sh*t that night. I was just basically a moving dummy. He’s going to have to eat some punches to get in there. I know he’s tough. It only takes one clean one to do anything. 15 minutes is a long time to have to evade a good punch. We know he’s coming from bell to bell and we’ll see how successful he is on Saturday.”
How well Allen can defend the takedown could be the deciding factor.
“Honestly, I wanted to fight someone ahead of him in the rankings because I’ve beaten him before,” Hernandez told Just Scrap Radio. “He has gotten way better, he’s a whole new fighter, but it is what it is. I’m going to prove what I’m worth and prove that I am ready for the title shot, whenever this year. This is a new fight. Every fight is a new fight. I’m not sleeping on him, I know he’s good and has a lot of areas he’s cleaned up. He’s slick as hell on the ground, but I’ve been doing this sh*t my whole life and ready to get this sh*t before my time is up.”
Allen is a talented grappler with double-digit submissions and as you might expect from a ground specialist, he leaves a lot to be desired in the standup. Hernandez isn’t exactly Mayweather on the feet, either, so it balances out. Both combatants have combined for six post-fight performance bonuses during their time in UFC (three apiece) and there’s no reason to think this weekend’s co-headlining scrap won’t be in the running for “Fight of the Night.” I haven’t seen anything from either fighter that would suggest their initial outcome was a fluke; I just think Hernandez has Allen’s number and everywhere that “All In” is good, “Fluffy” is just a little bit better. Expect a grapple-heavy showdown that would probably get five rounds if the name value was a little higher. Regardless, this should prove to be a clean sweep on the judges’ scorecards.
Prediction: Hernandez def. Allen by unanimous decision
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Seattle fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card matchups, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Seattle news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For the updated and finalized “Cejudo vs. Song” fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.