Song Yadong name drops huge star if he can’t get Henry Cejudo rematch following UFC Seattle

Song Yadong has a big name in mind if his next fight isn’t a rematch with Henry Cejudo.

Yadong went one-on-one with Cejudo in the main event of UFC Seattle this past Saturday night. The bout was competitive on the feet, but Yadong turned things up in round three before accidentally poking “Triple C” in the left eye. While Cejudo made it through the round after taking five minutes to recover, he couldn’t start round four and Yadong was awarded the win via technical decision.

While Yadong has called for a rematch with Cejudo, he wouldn’t mind throwing down with another popular bantamweight.

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Song Yadong Interested in Sean O’Malley Fight

While Song Yadong is open to a rematch with Henry Cejudo, UFC CEO Dana White isn’t interested in that idea. When asked about White’s comments during the UFC Seattle post-fight press conference, Yadong mentioned Sean O’Malley as an enticing name for his next opponent.

“My goal is to be world champion, so whatever they give me my goal is to fight a guy ranked above me,” Yadong said. “If not Henry, give me O’Malley. I can fight anytime.”

It appears White is more keen on booking a UFC bantamweight title rematch between champion Merab Dvalishvili and O’Malley. If he can’t get Cejudo or O’Malley next, “The Kung Fu Kid” hopes to face someone above him in the official 135-pound rankings.

“Yeah, I think I’m already in the top five, my level.” Yadong said. “Just give me another chance. I will beat these guys.”

Yadong’s victory over Cejudo is the biggest win of his pro MMA career regardless of the circumstances. It was also a bounce back win for Yadong, who suffered a unanimous decision loss to Petr Yan back in March 2024. After losses to Yan and Cory Sandhagen, Yadong told media members that he felt pressured to prove he belongs in the elite class in the bantamweight division.

Prior to the accidental foul, Yadong looked sharp against Cejudo, but some are left to wonder what would’ve happened in rounds four and five if the eye poke never occurred. It’ll be interesting to see if the two will be able to run it back.