Song Yadong defeated Deiveson Figueiredo by guillotine choke in the second round at UFC Macau.
Song Yadong delivered a statement performance at UFC Macau, submitting Deiveson Figueiredo with a guillotine choke in the second round to hand the Brazilian veteran a significant defeat.
Song, known as the "Kung Fu Kid," improves to 22-9-1 in the bantamweight division, where he enters the record books as the sixth-ranked contender. The 28-year-old stands five-foot-eight with a 67-inch reach and has built his reputation as one of the division's most active strikers, landing 4.42 significant strikes per minute. The guillotine finish was a rare submission for Song, who averages just 0.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making the stoppage all the more striking.
Figueiredo, nicknamed "Deus da Guerra," drops to 25-6-1 after the loss. The 38-year-old Brazilian, who came in ranked fifth at bantamweight, had made a name for himself as a well-rounded threat throughout his career, landing at a 53 percent striking accuracy rate and mixing in takedowns and submission attempts at a consistent clip. At five-foot-five with a 68-inch reach, Figueiredo held a physical disadvantage against the taller Song.
Why it matters
- Song jumps past Figueiredo in the bantamweight rankings with the win, tightening the logjam just outside title contention.
- The finish reshuffles the division's top-ten picture and puts Song firmly in the conversation for a higher-profile matchup.
- Song's willingness to seek a submission against a seasoned grappler like Figueiredo adds a new dimension to his profile as a contender.
