Outside Source
On a night when all of his Chinese compatriots fell short, Yadong Song sent the crowd home happy with a second-round submission victory in tonight’s main event of UFC Fight 277 in Macau, China. Song tapped out former UFC flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo with a guillotine choke late in the second round of their bantamweight clash.
Both men were very patient in the first round, and action was sparse until Song (23-9-1, 1 NC; 12-4-1 UFC) threw two leg kicks and a right hand. Figueiredo (25-7-1, 14-7-1 UFC) responded with a hard right hook that was his best strike of the round. Song threw a head kick and fell, and Figueiredo spent the remainder of the round on top in his guard. In the second round, Song landed three right hooks and then tripped Figueiredo after catching a kick. Figueiredo got back to his feet, but his attempt to take Song down failed, and Figueiredo ate a head kick for his efforts.
Late in the round, Figueiredo finally got Song down, and he was immediately trapped in a guillotine choke. Figueiredo tapped out within seconds, and the crowd erupted in cheers for Song, who was the only Chinese fighter to score a victory tonight. The official time of the tap came at the 4:42 mark of Round 2, and Song is right back in the bantamweight title hunt after his controversial loss to Sean O’Malley in January. Figueiredo, meanwhile, has now lost four of his past five.
Menifield blasts Zhang
The light heavyweight co-main event between Alonzo Menifield (18-6-1, 11-6-1 UFC) and Mingyang Zhang (19-8, 3-2 UFC) was expected to produce fireworks, and the action-packed battle did not disappoint. Menifield struck first with leg kicks that he used to set up three powerful hooks that knocked Zhang off-balance momentarily. Zhang reversed a clinch against the cage, and he repeatedly kneed Menifield in his midsection. Menifield created space and teed off with looping hooks that found their mark on Zhang’s face. When Zhang fired back with an elbow to Menifield’s temple, he seemed to have the American hurt, but Menifield impressively recovered within seconds and resumed his striking pressure. He knocked Zhang down with a hook-uppercut combo, and Zhang bravely got back to his feet. Menifield closed in with more punches and dropped him with another right-left combo that forced Zhang to turtle up on the ground. Menifield landed a few more punches, and referee Marc Goddard waved off the contest at the 4:15 mark of Round 1. This was a crucial win for Menifield, whose 2025 campaign ended with a quick knockout loss in November. He has won three of his past four fights.
Pavlovich KOs Teixeira in 39 seconds
The lone heavyweight bout on tonight’s card ended in just 39 seconds when former Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger Sergei Pavlovich (21-3, 9-3 UFC) annihilated Tallison Teixeira (9-2, 2-2 UFC). Pavlovich backed Teixeira up with two right hooks and then dropped him with a third right hand that landed behind Teixeira’s ear. As Teixeira tried to regain his senses, Pavlovich unloaded with left hands until Teixeira was unconscious. Pavlovich has now won three straight fights, and this violent finish should put him back among a short list of title contenders once again.
Asakura decimates Smotherman
In his third octagon appearance, former Rizin champion Kai Asakura (22-6, 1-2 UFC) at last picked up his first UFC victory, and he did so in devastating fashion. Moving up to bantamweight, Asakura brutally knocked out Cameron Smotherman (12-7, 1-3 UFC) just 1:50 into the opening round. Asakura landed leg kicks and two left hooks early in the fight, but it was a lunging left-right combo that dropped Smotherman to a knee. He stood up and retreated to the cage, where Asakura landed a crushing left hook that shut Smotherman’s lights off and ended the fight. After suffering submission losses in his first two UFC bouts at flyweight, Asakura was likely facing a must-win situation tonight, and he passed the test at bantamweight with flying colors.
Matthews dominates Harris
Jake Matthews (23-8, 16-8 UFC) battered Carlston Harris (19-8, 4-4 UFC) for three rounds to take a dominant unanimous decision win at welterweight. Both men landed looping hooks in the opening minute and Matthews began to win each of the boxing exchanges. He wobbled Harris multiple times with left and right hooks, but Harris maintained his footing. With his nose bloodied, Harris came up short with his punches while Matthews cracked him over and over again with powerful hooks. Harris pulled guard to begin the second round and Matthews punched from the top. Harris fought off a shoulder choke and an arm-triangle choke, but he was stuck on defense. Matthews attacked with a kimura in the final 30 seconds but ran out of time. Matthews dropped Harris face-first to the mat with a right hook early in the final round. Harris narrowly recovered in time, and Matthews spent the round punching from Harris’ half-guard. He mounted Harris with 40 seconds to go but couldn’t secure a finish. Matthews won with scores of 30-25 and 30-27 twice.
Perez and Mudaerji ends in no contest
The main card opened with a flyweight bout between Alex Perez (26-10, 1 NC; 8-6, 1 NC UFC) and Su Mudaerji (19-7, 1 NC; 6-4, 1 NC UFC) that ended in a no contest. Perez charged at Mudaerji with lead left hooks, and Mudaerji circled away until he was able to establish his jab. He landed punches and body kicks while Perez struggled to close the distance. Perez pulled half-guard with a guillotine choke in the dying seconds, but it was not successful. Mudaerji immediately dropped Perez with a one-two to begin the second round, but he was unable to finish him. Back on the feet, Perez was kicked in the groin, and he threw up in a bucket after time was called. Perez could not continue, and the bout was declared a no contest at the 1:45 mark of Round 2.
Dias punishes Lee
Capping off tonight’s prelims, Jose Felipe Dias (18-5, 1-0) finished middleweight foe Yi Sak Lee (8-2, 0-1 UFC) in the first round. Dias landed strong kicks to Lee’s leg and body during the opening two minutes, and he dropped him to a knee with a right hook. Lee recovered and landed a leg kick, but Dias knocked him down with another right hand and followed up with punches on the ground for a TKO stoppage at the 3:40 mark of Round 1.
Souza edges Ding
Jose Henrique Souza (9-1, 1-0 UFC) weathered an early onslaught of leg kicks from fellow UFC newcomer Meng Ding (35-10, 0-1 UFC) en route to a split decision victory at welterweight. Souza cracked Ding with a right cross early on, but Ding recovered quickly and he chopped away at both of Souza’s legs with sweeping kicks. Souza pulled Ding’s head down into a powerful knee strike in the second stanza, but the round was largely controlled by Ding and his leg kicks until Souza rallied late with flurries of punches. Souza opened cuts on Ding’s right temple and below his left eye in the final round. He jabbed and circled while Ding tried to cut off the cage with his leg kicks. One judge saw the fight 29-28 for Ding, while the remaining two had it 30-27 and 29-28 for Souza.
Haddon pound out Aori
Cody Haddon (9-1, 2-0 UFC) notched his second UFC win with a dominant performance against China’s Qileng Aori (26-13, 1 NC; 4-5, 1 NC UFC) in a bantamweight battle. Haddon picked Aori up and slammed him down in the first minute before working for a rear-naked choke from back control. Aori fought that off, but Haddon punished him with punches and elbows to the side of his head and knees to his ribs. Aori threatened with a guillotine choke in the second round, and he finally established his boxing, but Haddon tied him up in a clinch. Two knees to the liver folded Aori, and Haddon landed punches on the ground for a TKO victory at the 2:11 mark of Round 2.
Tsuruya neck cranks Gurule
In a bantamweight battle between two fighters who normally compete at 125 pounds, Rei Tsuruya (11-1, 2-1 UFC) easily dispatched of Luis Gurule (11-4, 1-4 UFC), whose attempt to win two UFC fights in two weeks was denied. Tsuruya hurt Gurule with a left hook one minute into the fight and then spent most of the first round on Gurule’s back. The Japanese standout eventually secured a tight neck crank and Gurule was forced to submit at the 3:19 mark of the first round.
Hill impresses agaisnt Xiong
Angela Hill (19-16, 14-16 UFC) spoiled the UFC debut of former ONE Championship 125-pound titleholder Jingnan Xiong (19-3, 0-1 UFC) at strawweight. Hill had considerable success in the first round with knees to Xiong’s liver during clinches and she landed a jumping switch knee to Xiong’s face later on. Hill landed punching combinations and more knees to the body in the second round, and she held Xiong in a standing guillotine choke during the final minute. She remained the aggressor in the third round while Xiong struggled to land much in return. Hill wobbled Xiong with a spinning back elbow and another flying switch knee just before the end of the fight. All three judges scored the bout 30-27 in favor of Hill, who put forth one of the best performances of her career.
Vera KOs Zhu
Making the most of a short-notice opportunity, Rodrigo Vera (22-1-1, 1-0 UFC) excelled in his UFC debut and knocked out Road to UFC Season 3 winner Kangjie Zhu (21-5, 1 NC; 0-1 UFC) early in their featherweight bout. Following boxing exchanges, Vera dropped Zhu with a left hook, and he followed up with more punches on the ground
Amorim taps Konklak
Opening up the card, submission specialist Jaqueline Amorim (11-2, 5-2 UFC) used her superior grappling to force a first-round tap from “Loma Lookboonmee” Konklak Suphisara (10-5, 7-4 UFC) in a women’s strawweight contest. Amorim clinched right away and eventually pulled Suphisara down to the mat with a rolling kneebar attempt. From there, Amorim worked from top position until she was able to drop back into a deep armbar that forced Suphisara to submit at the 4:04 mark of Round 1.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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