Song Stuns Nurmagomedov in Shanghai KO

Song Yadong knocked out heavy favorite Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Shanghai and demanded a.

According to MMA Junkie, the finish came at the 1:48 mark of Round 2, when Song stuffed a takedown attempt and landed a short right uppercut to the ear that put Nurmagomedov out cold. Song followed with ground strikes before the referee stepped in, per Geo News. It was a stunning reversal in a main event Nurmagomedov entered as a 6-to-1 betting favorite, per MMA Fighting.

Nurmagomedov, Khabib Nurmagomedov's first cousin, came in with a glittering record and had controlled the first round with his grappling, per Sherdog. Song, by contrast, had been a narrow decision loser to former champion Sean O'Malley in January and was ranked sixth at bantamweight, per China Daily. Few expected the Team Alpha Male fighter to end the Dagestani grappler's momentum so violently on home soil.

Sherdog's round-by-round account describes Nurmagomedov scoring takedowns in the first round and escaping a guillotine attempt, with Song landing a counter right cross when he caught a kick. In the second, Song defended a takedown, and a clash of heads opened a cut above Song's right eye. When Nurmagomedov ducked in search of another takedown, Song caught him changing levels with a shovel uppercut to the side of the neck, rendering him unconscious instantly.

The win transforms Song's position in the bantamweight pecking order. China Daily notes he is now in line for a shot at the belt held by Petr Yan, while MMA Fighting writes that he is 'right near the top of the list' for the next title shot. Song improved to 24-9-1 with one no contest, per MMA Junkie and Sherdog, and has won three of his past four with the lone blemish the O'Malley decision. In the cage, Song shouted 'Give me the title shot!' and promised the Shanghai crowd, per China Daily, that he would become the UFC's first Chinese men's world champion.

The main event capped a strong card for Chinese and regional fighters. Sherdog adds that Kai Asakura stopped Aoriqileng with a head kick early in Round 2, and Su Mudaerji edged Alex Perez by unanimous decision. Yahoo Sports also flagged Bilal Hasan's knockout debut win and Rei Tsuruya's first-round rear-naked choke over Kevin Borjas.

Song made his intentions clear immediately, yelling 'Who's next?' in his post-fight interview and later telling the crowd, per China Daily, 'Maybe not tonight, not tomorrow, or not next month, but I guarantee you guys that I will be the UFC's first men's world title winner from China.' Afterward, he called it 'the best moment in my life right now,' per Geo News. MMA Fighting also noted a tense post-fight moment between Song and Usman Nurmagomedov, and a statement released by Umar afterward. Sherdog cautions Song may still be one or two wins from a guaranteed shot, but the emphatic stoppage sends a clear message to the division.