Bantamweight breakdown, Song Yadong’s status after UFC Shanghai

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MMA fans got an early morning treat. UFC Shanghai is in the books and delivered some incredible highlights. The fight card finished with 10 finishes and just three decisions, an all-action slate of matchups. 

Even though the fight card delivered as a whole, the takeaway is Song Yadong, who scored a massive upset win against former title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov. After narrowly losing the first round, Yadong landed a perfectly timed uppercut as Nurmagomedov shot in for a takedown attempt.

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This result is one of the bigger upsets of the year, and theres been a ton of them already in 2026. The win now moves Yadong towards the top of the bantamweight division. It could even land him a title shot, but that’s not guaranteed, not yet, at least. 

Next title challenger depends on who wins UFC 333 co-main event

MMA: UFC 324- OMalley vs Yadong
Jan 24, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Sean O’Malley fights Song Yadong during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

This would’ve been the case no matter who won in Saturday morning’s main event. Two contenders both warrant a title shot: Sean O’Malley and now Song Yadong. 

O’Malley is riding a two-fight win streak; the first of those victories was against Yadong. Another title shot isn’t a lock for O’Malley, though. 

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Petr Yan is set to defend his title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333. If Dvalishvili wins the belt back, O’Malley has no chance at a title opportunity. Being 0-2 against Dvalishvili just makes the third fight a hard sell, no matter how popular O’Malley is. 

However, if Yan beats Merab again, O’Malley has to fight for the title, having already beaten Yan. This would immediately become one of the three biggest fights in the sport. A high-level chess match: O’Malley’s movement and precision vs Yan’s pressure and well-rounded style. 

After such a huge win, Yadong becomes the biggest Merab Dvalishvili fan in the world. These two have never fought each other before either, so it gives the division a fresh matchup at the top. 

Where Umar Nurmagomedov goes from here

MMA: UFC 311 Dvalishvili vs Nurmagomedov
Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Umar Nurmagomedov ices his shoulder between rounds against Merab Dvalishvili. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images. Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

A major setback for Nurmagomedov. He was once seen as a sure-fire champion; it was just a matter of when. That’s no longer the case; the climb back towards the title picture won’t be a short one for Nurmagomedov. 

A multi-fight win streak must happen for Nurmagomedov to even sniff a title shot. As far as next potential opponents, there are a few names that make sense. 

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Likely fighting down the division, a matchup against Aiemann Zahabi would be warranted. Zahabi is coming off a loss to O’Malley at UFC White House. This gives Zahabi another opportunity to fight up in the rankings, and Nurmagomedov a rebound matchup. 

Another fighter whose stock is surging is David Martinez. If all goes well for his fight against Dan Ige at Noche UFC, then a huge fight up in the rankings should be in store. Martinez is undefeated in the UFC, having wins over two former contenders, Rob Font and Marlon Chito Vera. 

No matter who the next opponent is, Nurmagomedov suffered a major setback at UFC Fight Night Shanghai. 

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