Leapfrog?! UFC 299’s Song Yadong to steal bantamweight title shot: ‘If I knock Petr Yan out, I’m next’

Song Yadong is ready to make a statement in the Bantamweight division at UFC 299 this weekend (Sat., March 9, 2024).

The men's 135-pound weight class will take center stage in the promotion's return to Miami, Fla., with the title on the line in the evening's main event. Set to run things back, it will be the champion, Sean O'Malley, defending his crown against Marlon "Chito" Vera.

A pivotal contender bout will open the event's main card when the 26-year-old Song takes on his first former champion, Petr Yan. Although the next challenger for the O'Malley-Vera 2 winner seems locked in as Merab Dvalishvili (the fight's back up), Song is confident that if he extends his winning streak to three with a knockout, he'll jump the line.

“I like Sean. I’m rooting for Sean, he’s going to win the fight,” Song told UFC News. “He definitely has good striking, better striking than ‘Chito,’ but ‘Chito’ definitely has good defense.

“Now, it seems like everybody wants Merab next to challenge, but if I knock Petr out, I’m the next,” he concluded.

The Song vs. Yan match up has been in talks the previous months after the possibility of the two fighting in China for the promotion's return to the country. That idea fell apart, however, and led to Song instead fighting Chris Gutierrez this past December 2023. He won the bout via a lopsided unanimous decision.

“Before I fought Chris, I knew after the win, I will choose to face Petr, for sure,” Song said. “Because in the Top 10, both of us [needed] to fight.”

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’McGREGOR-FREE MAIN EVENT! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., June 29, 2024, without its biggest box office draw, Conor McGregor, after the Irish sports star delayed the “greatest comeback of all-time” because he broke his pinky toe (seriously). Coming the rescue once again is Light Heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, agreeing to rematch former division champion, Jiri Prochazka, in the pay-per-view (PPV) main event. In UFC 303’s co-headliner, top-ranked Featherweight contender, Brian Ortega, will attempt to halt the rise of red-hot surging 145-pound prospect, Diego Lopes. UFC 303’s PPV main card (see it here) will also feature Anthony Smith vs. Roman Dolidze and Ian Garry vs. Michael “Venom” Page and so much more. It’s must-watch action! UFC 303 start time scheduled for 6 p.m. ET (Prelims) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV).

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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 299 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

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