Athletes
Song Yadong | Peaking At The Right Time
Young Veteran Talks UFC 324, Showdown With Sean O’Malley
Song Yadong has been in the UFC for eight years, having made his promotional debut back in November 2017 with a submission win over Bharat Khandare in Shanghai, China. He’s logged a total of 15 appearances inside the Octagon, amassing an 11-3-1 record over that time, including victories over Marlon Moraes, Ricky Simon, and Henry Cejudo, and heads into 2026 stationed at No. 5 in the bantamweight rankings.
That level of experience, that kind of standing and stature within the division is usually only achieved by competitors that are in their early 30s, maybe even their late 30s, but that is where Song is an outlier, as the Chinese standout just turned 28 at the start of December.
“Time flies,” he said with a smile when asked how he’s still only 28 when we spoke following the UFC 324 press conference earlier in the month. The debut show of the Paramount era will mark Song’s return to action following an 11-month hiatus, as he’ll step into the fray with former bantamweight champ Sean O’Malley in a critical main card contest.
Like many athletes who have reached the upper tier in their respective divisions, the Team Alpha MMA representative finds himself in a bit of a Catch-22 when it comes to how frequently — or infrequently — he has been fighting.
Song’s last appearance came in late February in Seattle, where he earned a technical decision win over two-division titleholder Henry Cejudo, which came 11 months after his decision loss to current champ Petr Yan. That fight was booked relatively quickly following his end-of-the-year win over Chris Gutierrez in December 2023, but two fights in two years for an ascending talent just entering their athletic prime feels like it’s not quite enough.
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The flipside, however, is that there are finite options for someone in Song’s position, and though he’d like to compete more frequently, waiting on this opportunity made complete sense to him.
“I want to fight more, but it’s good,” he said of his recent extended stay on the sidelines. “Long layoffs allow my body to rest a little bit, but I think this fight is good because O’Malley is a big name; he’s (worth waiting for).”
In addition to having time to allow his body to recover, the time away also provided Song with an opportunity to focus on skill development, which is a piece that often gets set aside when you’re cycling through fight camps and constantly focused on managing your health.
“For this year, I have been focused on more wrestling,” began Song when asked which element of his game has received the most attention during the time since his win over Cejudo. “I went to San Diego to train with J-Flo (Justin Flores) — he’s a judo guy, so I learned some new stuff.
“I feel great,” he added. “I feel like I’m reaching my peak.”
Ironic as this may sound, the timing couldn’t be better.
While the changing of the guard that transpired at the top of the bantamweight division the evening after Song, O’Malley, and the rest of the UFC 324 standouts we on stage at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas definitely altered how things will line up to start 2026, “The Kung Fu Kid” heads into the new year with a marquee matchup on tap and a chance to establish himself as a serious title threat straight out of the gates.
Though O’Malley enters having dropped consecutive contests, those were championship bouts against Dvalisvhili, and he’s still only been beaten one other time in his career. Additionally, he holds a split decision win over the now two-time champion Yan, and so while there are several individuals jockeying for position in the new bantamweight hierarchy to begin the year, there is a chance for Song to control his own fate a little by stepping in and handing O’Malley three consecutive losses.
“This fight is very important for me because a win over Sean is a big accomplishment,” he said, acknowledging the magnitude of the task before him. “This is a big opportunity for me.
“It makes me so excited and more motivated to win over Sean,” he added regarding his position in the pecking order and having been mentioned as a potential opponent for Dvalishvili before “The Machine” was dethroned. “(I’m) one step away from a title shot.”
Though he may have to bide his time for that championship opportunity should he ruin O’Malley’s plans to re-launch “The Suga Show” on January 24, the fact that it’s a three-round fight means there is no time to waste once the two men are standing opposite one another in the final non-title fight at UFC 324.
“I think just pace,” began Song, giving his thoughts on the difference between five-round main events and the three-round battle he’s set for with O’Malley. “Five rounds, both of us need to slow down, but three rounds is more intensity.”
Although the fight itself requires greater urgency and more immediate intensity, the Chinese standout believes patience and trust in his weapons is what is needed in order to garner the biggest win of his career and establish himself as the clubhouse leader in the chase for the next championship opportunity in the bantamweight division.
“Just relax and do what I’ve got to do,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone when asked what it takes to beat someone of O’Malley’s standing. “I believe in my skills. I can strike, I can wrestle; I’m so confident.”
UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 24, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!