Song Yadong becomes third UFC champion submitted by Team Alpha Male guillotine

Song Yadong was submitted by guillotine choke at UFC Macau on May 30, 2026, becoming the third UFC champion to be finished by a Team Alpha Male guillotine in a notable pattern tied to the Sacramento-based gym.

The victory extends a lineage that traces back to Urijah Faber, the 47-year-old Team Alpha Male founder and UFC Hall of Famer who carries a career record of 35-11. Faber, a five-foot-six orthodox fighter with a 67-inch reach, was one of the most prolific submission threats of his era, averaging 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes throughout his career. It was Faber who previously submitted both Jens Pulver and Dominick Cruz with the guillotine, establishing the technique as something of a house specialty.

Pulver, now 51, compiled a career record of 27-19-1 and was a southpaw standing five-foot-seven with a 70-inch reach. Cruz, 41, holds a 24-4 record and fought out of Alliance MMA by the end of his career, though his early losses came during the Team Alpha Male era. The five-foot-eight orthodox fighter averaged 3.91 significant strikes landed per minute and 2.82 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him one of the sport's most technically refined competitors.

When factoring in finishes by Chad Mendes and Joseph Benavidez, the Team Alpha Male program has accumulated more than 10 guillotine finishes across top promotions, according to the summary.

Why it matters

• Song Yadong's submission loss marks the latest chapter in Team Alpha Male's long association with the guillotine choke at the highest level of the sport.
• The finish connects three separate UFC champions or titleholders to the same submission technique from the same gym lineage.
• The result raises questions about divisional rankings and championship picture implications depending on Song Yadong's title status at the time of the bout.