UFC Seattle Ends in Controversy As Song Yadong Defeats Henry Cejudo By Technical Decision

UFC Seattle was supposed to be a showcase fight for Song Yadong, a rising contender looking to prove himself against a decorated veteran in Henry Cejudo. Instead, the night ended in confusion and frustration after an accidental eye poke forced the fight to go to the judges earlier than expected. Yadong was awarded a technical decision, but the way it happened left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth—including the fighters themselves.

From the opening bell, Song Yadong looked sharp. He was quicker, cleaner with his striking, and kept Cejudo from getting comfortable. Every time Cejudo tried to close the distance, he found himself walking into well-timed counters. His attempts to initiate wrestling exchanges were mostly stuffed, leaving him forced to strike with the younger, faster Yadong.
Then came the moment that changed everything. Late in the third round, Yadong extended his hand to create space, and his fingers unintentionally poked Cejudo in the eye. Cejudo immediately recoiled, wincing in pain. He took the full five minutes allowed for recovery but still struggled with his vision. The cageside doctor stepped in, and after a brief examination, the fight was waved off. Since it had gone past the halfway mark of the scheduled rounds, the fight went to the judges’ scorecards, who awarded Yadong the win (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
No one— neither Yadong, Cejudo, nor the fans—felt satisfied with how things ended. Yadong, despite getting the win, didn’t celebrate much.

“That was totally an accident,” he said. “The result is not what I wanted. I’m so sorry. Henry is a legend. We should run it back. We will fight again.”
Cejudo, never one to shy away from competition, agreed.
“I couldn’t see out of my left eye. The right was okay. I wanted to continue, but if I couldn’t see, he was just going to hurt me. Of course, we can run that back. One hundred percent.”
For Yadong, this win keeps his momentum going in a stacked bantamweight division, but it’s far from the statement victory he was hoping for. He’s made it clear he’s open to running it back, and with how the fight ended, it’s hard to imagine the UFC not being interested in making it happen.
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As for Cejudo, this marks his third straight loss since returning from retirement. At 38 years old, he’s no longer in his prime, but he’s not ready to call it quits yet. He still believes he has what it takes to compete at the highest level, and he wants another shot to prove it. Whether the UFC books an immediate rematch or moves in another direction, one thing is certain: the controversy from this fight isn’t going away anytime soon. Fans will be waiting to see what’s next.