Daniel Cormier addressed both decisive moments from UFC Shanghai: Song Yadong’s right-uppercut knockout of Umar Nurmagomedov and Usman Nurmagomedov’s unauthorized rush into the Octagon immediately afterward.
Song stopped Umar at 1:48 of Round 2 on August 29. Cormier said the punch’s placement disrupted Umar’s equilibrium, then rejected claims that Usman tried to strike Song during the celebration. He still stressed that Usman was not permitted to enter the cage.
Watch Cormier’s complete reaction below.
Cormier Explains Why Song’s Uppercut Shut Umar Down
Umar changed levels for a takedown as Song defended and brought his right hand through the opening. Cormier summarized the finish before explaining why the contact had such an immediate effect.
“Umar shoots for a double leg. Song defends, throws a right uppercut, drops Umar.”
“The uppercut grazes him on the side of the head, which is one of the worst places to be hit. We get hit on the chin so many times, and we can handle that, but when you get hit here and it shocks the equilibrium and you fall, your body goes completely limp, and that’s what happened to Umar today.”
Cormier emphasized that the outcome came from Song’s power and a cleanly timed counter, not a broader failure in Umar’s game.
“You got hit. You got caught against a guy that has tremendous power.”
The result also reshaped the bantamweight order. Umar entered as the No. 3 contender and a former title challenger, while Song left Shanghai with the division’s most consequential win of the night.
“But again, this result speaks to how quickly things can change inside the UFC and how quickly one result can flip a division.”
Cormier Rejects The Claim That Usman Attacked Song
After the stoppage, Song ran around the Octagon while Usman moved toward his fallen brother. Their paths nearly crossed, prompting online claims that Usman had attempted a spinning elbow. Cormier rejected that interpretation.
“He did not elbow him. Let’s stop making conspiracy theories out there, people. He did not elbow him and he did not attack Song Yadong. What he did was try to get to his brother.”
A fan-recorded angle shows the moment that fueled the debate.
Usman’s Intent Does Not Make The Cage Jump Permissible
Cormier separated Usman’s apparent intent from the rule violation. He said the younger brother’s instinct was understandable, but entering the Octagon without authorization created a situation officials could not reliably control.
“Now, that in itself is not allowed. We are not allowed to do that. But if there’s anyone, obviously, that you care about immensely and you want to try to rush to their side in that moment, it is your brother. Blood brother. Not a brother as in a friend that you love, not a cousin, not a relative. This is his actual brother.”
“So, he jumps into the Octagon, which is not allowed. But if there’s any time that someone will deal on emotion, you would think that it was this.”
Cormier pointed to the post-fight disorder following Khabib Nurmagomedov’s win over Conor McGregor as the reason officials must restrict access.
“The reason they don’t let people jump is because of the things that happened with Khabib and Conor and all those other things. They cannot control whenever the situation gets chaotic, and that’s why Usman cannot do that.”
His final judgment gave Usman some sympathy without excusing the behavior.
“But again, I am more inclined to give him a bit of grace because you watch your brother get starched in that way. But he’s not the first brother to get beat. Obviously, he needs to learn how to handle that a little bit better if it is to ever happen again.”
MiddleEasy’s UFC Shanghai result and video package includes the official finish and Song’s post-fight celebration. Umar’s team later responded to the loss, while future movement near the bantamweight title will appear in MiddleEasy’s UFC coverage.
