UFC Vegas 72: Song and Simon Look to Join the Party at Bantamweight

By
Gabriel Gonzalez
-
Song Yadong and Ricky Simon, UFC Vegas 72
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 28: (L-R) Opponents Song Yadong of China and Ricky Simon face off during the UFC Fight Night weigh-in at UFC APEX on April 28, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

At a time when the bantamweight division has never been more competitive, Song Yadong and Ricky Simon will look to join the upper-echelon of the division at UFC Vegas 72.

To say the men’s bantamweight division is on fire right now is an understatement.  It is not just the best time in the history of the weight class, but many argue that from top to bottom that the division is the most competitive in the entire sport of MMA worldwide.  While that is in large part due to the performances of title holders like Aljamain Sterling and Patchy Mix, it is also due to talent displayed by several of the contenders jostling for position.

Song Yadong is one such athlete.  The 25 year-old prospect from China has emerged as one of the top threats as he has worked his way to eighth spot in the top ten of the UFC’s rankings.  Fighting out of Team Alpha Male under the tutelage of Hall-of-Famer Urijah Faber, Song has amassed a respectable 8-2 record inside the Octagon with victories over the likes of Marlon “Chito” Vera, Marlon Moraes, and Casey Kenney to help him break into the rankings.  His talent was on full display in his last bout as he pushed perennial top five contender Cory Sandhagen to the limit before a cut from an elbow led to a TKO victory for Sandhagen.  Now roughly seven months since the bout, he steps into a main event (and the extra two rounds that go along with it) and a chance to move himself into another high profile bout in his next outing.

Now in his ninth year as a professional, Ricky Simon is looking to make the jump from gritty contender to bonafide title threat with his first UFC headliner.  The thirty year-old has taken the long road to this spot, working his way through regional promotions like King of the Cage and showcasing his skills on Dana White’s Contender Series before he finally received the opportunity to fight for the UFC in 2018.  In hindsight, his promotional debut has become the most eye-catching on his resume as he stopped now current top contender Merab Dvalishvili with a controversial submission finish.

But while he might have left that fight with more questions than answers, he would go on to match Song’s UFC record of 8-2 that includes his latest five fight win-streak against names like Jack Shore, Raphael Assuncao, and Brian Kelleher.  Further, the bout has its own personal angle for Simon as one of his only UFC losses came to Song’s head coach Faber.  He has not emphasized that point, but it would no doubt be a feather in his cap to best his former foe’s protege in a bout that would propel him towards the top of the division.  At a time when the pieces at bantamweight are set to move, a victory on Saturday would be one of the best positions for Simon to be in.

The division is obviously set to see a slew of matchups in the coming weeks for the latter half of the year as the title is set to be contested for next Saturday.  While most expect Sean O’Malley to get the next title shot regardless of whether Aljmain Sterling or Henry Cejudo win, it is not out of the question that Merab Dvalishvili on the strength of his current win-streak could get the next title shot should Cejudo wrest the title from his teammate.  With that in mind, contenders such as Petr Yan or Rob Font are potential options for the winner in a fight that could set up a title eliminator for Song or Simon in 2024.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR