Welterweights Song Kenan and Rolando Bedoya were both looking to return to the win column at UFC Singapore on Saturday.
Bedoya had dropped his last outing against Khaos Williams, suffering a split decision loss in his promotional debut. Things were a little more dire for Song, who had lost two straight opposite Max Griffin and Ian Machado Garry.
The fight began with Bedoya landing a few heavy calf kicks to the lead leg of Song Kenan. The Chinese fighter started to put on some forward pressure whilst trying to let his hands go. Bedoya swung for a heavy over-hand right but missed the mark as he over-extended. Song began to try and find the clinch to land some strikes there, but Bedoya reversed the clinch position and got the fight back out at range. From there he looked to land a few more heavy leg kicks whilst in kicking range. As the two got closer in distance they began trading punches with Bedoya looking the better after three minutes. Again the Peruvian landed a few more kicks, whilst also changing the target, now targeting the body with a front teep. The end of round one horn sounded and Song made it back to his corner with a big smirk on his face.
The corner of Song called for him to utilise his jab more often as they believed that would leave an opening for him to unleash an over-hand right. The round began with Song once again looking to close the distance with a flurry of strikes that subsequently ended with the two clinching. The 26-year-old, Bedoya, started to look for the the counter shot but Song landed a big over-hand right, just like his coach called for, momentarily dropping Bedoya. Song began to gain confidence as the fight went on and started to land his strikes more flush. Bedoya ate another one of Song’s right and left hand combo whilst then trying to fire back himself. Bedoya decided he wanted to try and close the distance and clinch fight with Song. He gained clinch control with the double under-hooks and fired off a big knee to the body. Round two proved to be a far more successful round for Song, and he went into the final round knowing that it could be one a piece.
Bedoya had a lot of success in round one keeping Song in kicking range, you’d imagine his goal would be to replicate that in round three. His response in the third was to try and get his combinations going but he found himself being met with the stiff jab of Song. The defence and counter striking of Song began to take control of this fight and he started stealing it in the eyes of the judges. The Peruvian began to try and up his volume of strikes but despite throwing more strikes, Song was the one doing more damage. Again the two engaged in a clinch where Bedoya landed another big knee. After they exited the clinch, Song landed another big right hand dropping Bedoya again. With just 45 seconds left Bedoya tried to put on the pressure but it didn’t pay off, he was unable to land anything of significance and the fight ended with Song coming out on top.
Official Result: Song Kenan def. Rolando Bedoya by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
