Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo hasn’t wasted any time in taking a jab at his upcoming opponent, Song Yadong, just weeks ahead of UFC Seattle.
Cejudo is set to headline the long-anticipated return of the UFC to Seattle on February 22nd, where he will face off against the rising contender Yadong. Despite a tense encounter with another young bantamweight fighter, Cejudo is ready to welcome Yadong back to the Octagon in what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting matchups of early 2025.
The bout marks Cejudo’s return to the bantamweight division after having suffered consecutive defeats to Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili since coming back from a three-year hiatus. He initially retired following a controversial win over Dominick Cruz in the co-main event of UFC 249.
Historically, Cejudo and Yadong haven’t harbored any significant animosity towards each other in their bantamweight journeys. While Cejudo has adopted a ‘cringe king’ persona, Yadong has opted for a more understated approach, allowing his fight performances to speak for themselves.
Nonetheless, that has not hindered Cejudo from ramping up the pre-fight banter leading up to their clash on February 22nd at UFC Fight Night.
Cejudo issued a playful barb on Instagram, saying, “Song YaDone fucked up,” as he escalates the pre-fight dialogue. As of now, Yadong has yet to respond to Cejudo’s remarks.
Following his recent loss to Dvalishvili at UFC 298, Cejudo had hinted at a potential return to the flyweight division. However, it has been years since he willingly vacated the flyweight title, and he has not fought at 125 pounds since defeating former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw in January 2019.
Yadong aims to make a strong impression in his return, particularly after being linked to a fight with Umar Nurmagomedov last year. He has not fought since his decision loss to former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan at UFC 299.
Cejudo is also eager to prove himself again since ending his retirement at UFC 288 against Sterling. He aims to recapture the form that propelled him to victories over notable fighters like Demetrious Johnson, Sergio Pettis, and Marlon Moraes.
Yadong has garnered attention for his victories over Chris Gutierrez and Ricky Simon, both of which followed a TKO loss to Cory Sandhagen. His recent close defeat to Yan interrupted what seemed to be a rapid rise toward the title picture.
The matchup between Cejudo and Yadong happens just weeks after the UFC 311 co-headliner, where bantamweight champion Dvalishvili will take on Nurmagomedov. The winner of Cejudo vs. Yadong could potentially position themselves back into title contention and set up a No. 1 contender fight.
As UFC Seattle approaches, animosity is growing between the two contenders. Even though targeting Yadong may prove challenging, Cejudo is seizing every opportunity to attract more viewers to his upcoming fight.
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