Song Yadong

The latest UFC rankings update sees Song Yadong climb to third in the bantamweight division, while Umar Nurmagomedov drops one spot to fourth. Su Mudaerji enters the flyweight top 15 at No. 13, and Denise Gomes jumps seven places into the women's strawweight top 10. Yan Xiaonan falls to fifth in that same division, and Alex Perez now sits at the bottom of the flyweight rankings.

Nurmagomedov, Perez, Xiaonan+1

Ali Abdelaziz, manager of Khabib Nurmagomedov's team, publicly attacked journalist Ariel Helwani on X, accusing him of chasing drama and sensationalism at the expense of the team. The dispute stems from Helwani's comments about Usman Nurmagomedov entering the cage after a fight, which Helwani called an emotional but impermissible rules violation. Abdelaziz countered that Usman acted out of distress over a family matter, and said Urijah Faber confirmed Song Yadong's team behaved respectfully throughout the situation. Abdelaziz also cited the friction as the reason fighters from the team decline to grant Helwani interviews.

Nurmagomedov, Nurmagomedov

Sean O'Malley has expressed his desire to see Song Yadong face Merab Dvalishvili, stating he has long believed Song poses a significant stylistic problem for the Georgian contender. O'Malley noted that if Dvalishvili wins the belt against Petr Yan, Song should be next in line for him. O'Malley also indicated that if Yan wins, he himself would be the one to fight Yan.

O'Malley, Dvalishvili, Yan

Song Yadong scored a stunning knockout win over Umar Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song on August 29, 2026 in Shanghai, China. The bout ended at 1:48 of round two when Song, a significant underdog, dropped Nurmagomedov with a short right hand leading to a KO/TKO stoppage. The result is a major bantamweight upset, as Nurmagomedov entered as a top contender and former title challenger, while Song fought on home soil. This win dramatically boosts Song’s standing in the division and could propel him into title discussions, while Nurmagomedov will need to rebound from his first knockout loss.

Nurmagomedov, Nurmagomedov

Umar Nurmagomedov says he intends to fight Merab Dvalishvili next whether Dvalishvili wins or loses against Petr Yan at UFC 333 on October 24 in Abu Dhabi. Nurmagomedov, who suffered his first career loss to Dvalishvili via unanimous decision in their bantamweight title fight at UFC 311 in January 2025, told MMA Junkie the rivalry has since turned personal following an altercation between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov's friend Ahmed Gadzhimagomedov at a recent event in Georgia. Nurmagomedov must first get past Song Yadong in Saturday's UFC Fight Night 286 main event in Shanghai before any rematch can materialise.

Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili, Yan

Yan Xiaonan’s upcoming strawweight bout against Denise Gomes is listed as the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song on August 29, 2026, in Shanghai. Event schedules describe Xiaonan vs Gomes as part of the main card at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, with broadcast times set for international audiences. These listings reinforce the high placement of Xiaonan’s fight on the card and provide logistical context for fans tracking her return to competition. The information focuses on event timing and card structure rather than technical fight breakdowns.

Nurmagomedov, Xiaonan, Gomes