UFC Vegas 72: With Brutal Fifth-Round TKO, Song Yadong Eliminate Ricky Simón
Song Yadong win from Ricky Simon; UFC Vegas 72
The horn sounded after Song Yadong dumped Ricky Simón. That ultimately served only to postpone the rising UFC bantamweight’s impressive win.
In the main event of UFC Vegas 72 on Saturday at Apex in Las Vegas, Song beat Simón by fifth-round TKO, giving him his first victory since losing to Cory Sandhagen in September. His career record now stands at 20-7-1.
After knocking Simón backwards after the fourth round with a left hand, he almost finished the fight, but the game ended before he could land any follow-up.
History was repeated within the first minute of the fifth round, and Simón was helpless this time because he had no horn. The fight was stopped by referee Herb Dean when Song again felled him with a right and then pounced on him for 10 seconds of ground and pound.
Overall, the Chinese fighter, who entered the contest ranked eighth among bantamweights in the UFC, put on a solid performance. After the Sandhagen defeat, Simón, who is rated 10th, allowed him to demonstrate that he could still be a contender in the category. At 135 pounds, he may now be well-positioned for some large fish.
Song called out Marlon Vera, whom Song defeated in 2020, and Sean O’Malley after the fight. Depending on how Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo fare in their main event next Saturday, O’Malley may soon have a shot at the crown. We’ll see whether the UFC accepts any offer from him.
About Song Yadong:
Song Yadong is a professional fighter who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) bantamweight division. He has an excellent record of 16 wins, 5 losses, and 1 draw.
In addition to his impressive record, Song Yadong is known for his explosive striking and grappling skills. He’s also among the youngest fighters in the UFC, debuting at just 20 years old. Since then, he’s gone on to earn several notable victories against top-ranked opponents. Born in China, Song Yadong began his martial arts training at a young age, studying sanda and eventually transitioning to MMA.
He made his professional debut in 2013 and quickly gained a reputation as a promising young fighter. In 2017, he signed with the UFC and became one of the organization’s rising stars.
Outside of his fighting career, Song Yadong is known for his positive approach and commitment to his training. He also advocates for his home country, China, and hopes to inspire other young fighters to follow in his footsteps.
About Ricky Simon:
American fighter Ricky Simon competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) bantamweight division.
Simon, who is of Mexican descent, is one of three brothers. Growing up, he was a UFC fan and had always wanted to participate in the sport. Nine years ago, he began his MMA training.
Simon has won the amateur championship five times in three different weight classes. In 2014, he made his professional MMA debut, defeating Alex Eastman to kick off his career.
He has competed in 10 fights for the UFC, winning eight. The 30-year-old has a respectable 20 wins and 3 losses in his MMA career.
The American has yet to suffer a loss in a game in 2019 and is now on a five-fight winning run. In his last match, he won by submission against Jack Shore of Wales in July 2022. Simon has won six fights by knockout and four by submission.
