Song Yadong is not treating Usman Nurmagomedov’s UFC Shanghai cage entry like a personal attack.
Song appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show after his second-round knockout of Umar Nurmagomedov and gave his first extended read on the post-fight collision, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s gesture afterward, and the bantamweight title picture that opened up after the biggest win of his career.
The interview adds Song’s own account after reactions from Daniel Cormier and Javier Mendez. Song said he understood why Usman rushed in after watching his brother get stopped.
Actually, I totally understand, you know, his feeling. Um, his brother got p uh knocked out and then I still punch him. you know his brother if if I was him I probably do the same thing you know to but I think he I thought he’s not like come to uh attack me he just he just surprised I was uh I ran towards him and and uh he just like defend defended himself off and react. It’s not like won’t attack me.
Song then pointed to prior training-room familiarity with the Nurmagomedov side and framed the moment as instinct, not bad blood.
He’s a very professional fighter and uh actually um they are very good team, you know. I met them actually we we uh we we’ve been training together. You use the uh one one mat one uh cage you know we met every day you know same sauna same hot tub every day you know sometime we talk sometime no but we are very friendly you know I don’t think we have something personal and I don’t think he want me in a cage he just react you know
Song Yadong Sees A Hard Road Back For Umar
The softer tone toward Usman did not carry over completely when Helwani asked whether Umar could return to title level after the knockout. Song hesitated on the question and called the finish a difficult setback to absorb.
I don’t know. I don’t got a big big problem, you know. He he got is is he’s is very is very hard to get back from u that knock from that brutal. It’s it’s called brutal knockdown. Yeah.
That assessment lands after Song moved into the bantamweight title mix with the win. Sean O’Malley’s reaction to Song’s knockout also pointed to the division’s shifting race, and Song used the Helwani appearance to make clear that he is watching Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili closely.
Yeah, right now I feel like it all depends on the fight result and when is the champion one fight. So if I don’t know if Morav win maybe I have more chance to fight him. I’m the next one. Maybe if if Peter win I feel like he got a lot injury, you know. I don’t know man.
Song still named Yan as the stronger pick in that matchup, even while acknowledging that a Dvalishvili win could create a cleaner route for him.
I think Peter got more advantage to win that fight.
He later added that he hopes Dvalishvili wins, then left himself open to another contender fight if the belt does not come next.
Yes. Yes. I like that fight. If uh Yes. He told me you have to wait. Okay. Give me that fight first. I I can fight him. You know, I I don’t think that his problem in front of me. I feel I can not knock him out or finish him. Yeah.
Song’s immediate leverage is obvious: he stopped a fighter who had never been finished, did it in front of a loud Shanghai crowd, and now has fresh momentum in a division waiting on Yan-Dvalishvili. His own description of the aftermath was simple.
Oh my god, that was I feel like I’m a superstar right now and more famous and you know everyone you know want meet me you know after the fight you know I would you like cave like I just I so busy you know I’m so tired right now you know I’m I met different person you know like I day
The title picture may still force Song into one more fight, but his public position changed this week. He is defending the Nurmagomedov team from the ugliest interpretation of the cage incident while also making it clear he does not view Umar’s comeback as automatic.
