UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, today announced the main event for its highly anticipated return to Shanghai, China. No. 3 ranked bantamweight and former title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov will face China's own No. 5 ranked Song Yadong, who is coming off an impressive submission victory in Macau earlier this year. Nurmagomedov was originally scheduled to fight David Martinez at UFC FIGHT NIGHT: ANKALAEV vs ROUNTREE Jr. in Abu Dhabi on July 25. Martinez will be rescheduled to a later date. In the co-main event, China’s first female UFC athlete and former strawweight title challenger, No. 4 ranked Yan Xiaonan takes on surging No. 13 ranked Denise Gomes. UFC FIGHT NIGHT: NURMAGOMEDOV vs SONG will take place in prime time on Saturday, August 29 at the Pudong Development Bank Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, with the first fight starting at 3 pm CST and the main card at 6 pm CST.
The action begins on Friday, August 28 at 5 pm CST, with ROAD TO UFC Season 5 Semifinals. Following an opening round that produced an astonishing 10 finishes, the remaining 16 of Asia Pacific’s top MMA prospects will look to advance to the finals for the opportunity to earn a multi-fight contract with UFC.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT: NURMAGOMEDOV vs SONG is hosted by Shanghai Municipal Sports Bureau and Pudong District Government. China Mobile subsidiary Migu, the Home of UFC in China, will serve as co-organizer along with Orange Lion Sports (previously known as Alisports). This marks UFC’s return to Shanghai for the second consecutive year and its first event in the Pudong District since UFC sold out Mercedes-Benz Arena in 2017.
Tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT: NURMAGOMEDOV vs SONG and ROAD TO UFC Season 5 Semifinals will go on sale Friday, July 17 at 12 pm CST and will be available for purchase on Juss Sports, Damai, Migu and Trip.com. Ticket purchases are limited to four (4) per person.
Trip.com Group, the Official Online Travel Package Provider for UFC in Asia, will offer travel products starting Friday, July 17 at 12 pm that include both tickets and accommodation.
Limited UFC VIP Experience packages are available, granting exclusive access such as premium seating, in-venue hospitality, exclusive gifts, and more. Full details can be found on the respective ticketing platforms.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT: NURMAGOMEDOV vs SONG
Umar Nurmagomedov (20-1, fighting out of Dagestan, Russia) is riding a two-fight win streak after challenging for the UFC bantamweight title. A well-rounded athlete with world-class wrestling, he boasts seven submission victories and five first-round finishes that includes two KOs. Nurmagomedov holds wins over former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, former title challenger Cory Sandhagen, and Mario Bautista. He is putting Song on notice in a potential title challenger elimination bout.
Song Yadong "The Kung Fu Kid" (23-9-1, fighting out of Heilongjiang, China) makes his sixth main event appearance following a standout submission victory over former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC FIGHT NIGHT MACAU in May of this year. With nine KOs, four submissions, and seven first round finishes to his credit, Song has notable victories over former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo, Marlon Moraes, and former title challenger Chito Vera. Song aims to catapult himself into title contention with a definitive victory over Nurmagomedov.
CO-MAIN EVENT
Yan Xiaonan (19-5, fighting out of Liaoning, China) has been a fixture in the strawweight Top 5 since 2024. Her resume includes eight KOs, eight first-round finishes, a historic title challenge against then champion Zhang Weili at UFC 300, and wins over Tabatha Ricci, former champion Jessica Andrade, and current champion Mackenzie Dern. Making her first appearance in China since 2018, Yan looks to keep her contender status firmly in hand with a decisive victory over Gomes.
Denise "Dee" Gomes (12-3, fighting out of Santana do Livramento, Brazil) has surged into the Top 15 with four consecutive victories over Tecia Pennington, Elise Reed, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, and Eduarda Moura. The Muay Thai veteran and Dana White's Contender Series alum has seven wins by KO and will look to put her striking on display in the most significant opportunity of her career.
Additional bouts on the card include:
ROAD TO UFC Season 5 Semifinals:
The 16 opening round winners who have advanced to the semifinals include:
WOMEN'S STRAWWEIGHT
FLYWEIGHT
BANTAMWEIGHT
FEATHERWEIGHT
More information on UFC FIGHT NIGHT: NURMAGOMEDOV vs SONG and ROAD TO UFC will be announced in the coming weeks.
