\n<\/p>\n
Song Yadong has given his two cents on whether Khabib Nurmagomedov\u2019s cousin Umar Nurmagomedov will be able to become an UFC champion someday, especially after what happened on August 29.<\/p>\n
This past weekend, Yadong locked horns with Umar in the main event of UFC Shanghai. <\/p>\n
Umar had a strong first round. He used his wrestling and grappling to control the fight. However, in Round 2, Yadong was game to prove the oddsmakers and many MMA fans wrong. While Umar grew frustrated not being able to score clean takedowns and dipped his head to the left to shoot, Yadong landed a well-placed uppercut on Umar\u2019s ear and sent the 30-year-old to the shadow realm. <\/p>\n
SHANGHAI, CHINA \u2013 AUGUST 29: (L-R) Song Yadong of China punches Umar Nurmagomedov of Russia in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center on August 29, 2026 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Chris Unger\/Zuffa LLC)<\/p>\n
Yadong did not stop there. He landed a few more heavy follow-up blows on an already knocked-out Umar until the referee intervened.<\/p>\n
Earlier today, on The Ariel Helwani Show, when Yadong was asked if Umar would be a UFC champion one day, especially after this past weekend\u2019s brutal KO loss, \u201cKung Fu Kid\u201d said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know. He\u2019s [Umar Nurmagomedov] got a big problem. It\u2019s very hard to get back from that brutal knockout.\u201d<\/p>\n
Check out Song Yadong\u2019s comments about Umar Nurmagomedov below:<\/em><\/p>\n \ud83d\ude2c Song Yadong says he doesn\u2019t know if Umar Nurmagomedov can become champion after UFC Shanghai: <\/p>\n \u201cHmm, I don\u2019t know. He\u2019s got a big problem. It\u2019s very hard to get back from that brutal knockout.\u201d <\/p>\n (via @arielhelwani) \ud83d\udd39 pic.twitter.com\/BbNKNDxTl4<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) September 2, 2026<\/p>\n Song Yadong also revealed that he was aware Umar dips his head every time he shoots for a takedown. As per the game plan, \u201cKung Fu Kid\u201d decided to catch the Russian fighter in that exact moment and put him to sleep, and the game plan worked. Talking about how his confidence grew from Round 1 at UFC Shanghai, Yadong added:<\/p>\n \u201cYou could tell in the fight, I was smiling, I was laughing. I just had this thought in my mind that I could beat him very easily\u2026. After the first round, I felt like he wasn\u2019t that strong. I could escape his wrestling. Even when he was on top, I could still get up. And on the feet, I could control the distance very well\u2026 I think everyone knows he has that habit [of dipping when he shoots], but you need to catch that moment and have the power to put him to sleep\u2026 I have that power. I can put him to sleep.\u201d [h\/t: Ariel Helwani]<\/p>\n Check out Song Yadong\u2019s comments about Umar Nurmagomedov below:<\/em><\/p>\n Song Yadong was confident Umar Nurmagomedov was going to be an ‘easy fight,’ and only grew more confident after the first round:<\/p>\n “You could tell in the fight, I was smiling, I was laughing. I just had this thought in my mind that I could beat him very easily.<\/p>\n After the first\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Yv83PV6aOt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 2, 2026<\/p>\n Just like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, and his own brother, PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov, Umar Nurmagomedov is unlikely to give up until he gets his hands on championship gold. Moments earlier on Instagram, he shared a message with his fans. He posted:<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not over until I win InshAllah\u201d<\/p>\n Check out Umar Nurmagomedov\u2019s comments below<\/em>:<\/p>\n Umar will especially have to work on the \u201ctechnical mistake\u201d of dipping his head while shooting for takedowns, among many other flaws, if he wants to get his name back into title contention. For now, it\u2019s a long road back to the top, and he\u2019ll likely need at least two big wins before earning a second UFC bantamweight title shot.<\/p>\n “He made a technical mistake” Javier Mendez on Umar Nurmagomedov’s loss against Song Yadong<\/p>\n \u201cIn my heart, I believe 100% that Umar can become champion. But unfortunately, in the first fight with Merab, Merab pulled it off by being great at what he does. And in this one here,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/b8eLSXVVr3<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) August 31, 2026<\/p>\nUmar Nurmagomedov says \u201cit\u2019s not over\u201d<\/h2>\n