Cejudo vs Yadong Prediction
🔊 Will "Triple C" lay his gloves in the center of the octagon? The answer to this question will be revealed at UFC Fight Night 252, where the American will face Song Yadong in the main event. Henry promises to start his final title run in the bantamweight division, while the Chinese fighter aims to send the veteran into a well-deserved retirement. Bookmakers believe that the representative from China has a better chance of keeping his promise. Let's discuss if this is indeed the case in our prediction.
H2H Stats Fights and Previous Results
Henry Cejudo Player Overview
The Olympic champion and UFC champion in two weight categories retired at his peak. However, after spending three years without fights, he realized that he hadn't said everything in this sport yet. The high-profile comeback took place in May 2023, but it wasn't successful for Cejudo. "Triple C" couldn't handle the wrestling of the physically stronger Aljamain Sterling and failed to take the title. In February of last year, Henry faced off against Aljo's friend Merab Dvalishvili (now the dominant bantamweight champion) and was beaten again. He stunned the Georgian but couldn't capitalize on the success and was overwhelmed by the "Machine's" pressure. It seems that Cejudo's return to the octagon was a mistake that tarnished his great legacy.
Match Results: Henry Cejudo
Song Yadong Player Overview
The Chinese striker impresses with having managed to hold as many as 30 professional MMA fights by the age of 27. He has entered the octagon 14 times in the UFC, competing in Dana White's organization since 2017. However, his activity has significantly decreased recently. After a series of two victories, Yadong faced Petr Yan and lost to the Russian by unanimous decision in March of last year. Nevertheless, the fight was quite close, and in stand-up, the native of China did not concede to the Russian. He himself stated that after the setback, he was ready to fight literally anyone, but the organization was not in a hurry to find him an opponent, seemingly reserving him for a bout with Cejudo.
Match Results: Song Yadong
Editor's Prediction
At the final weigh-in, Henry pulled out a piece of paper with a promise to send Yadong to a technical knockout in the fourth round. However, let's be honest, it's hard to believe in such an outcome, or even in a victory for "Triple C." Cejudo is already 38 years old, which is quite old for the bantamweight division. The Chinese fighter is more than ten years younger than the former champ and also significantly surpasses him in size and physical power. The American will likely be able to execute takedowns, as Song has been taken down even by basic strikers, but keeping him on the mat will be problematic.
We believe that Yadong will either catch Henry standing in the later rounds when "Triple C" tires, as observed in his recent fights, or take the fight to a decision in his favor. Therefore, we won't overthink the bet - victory for Song Yadong seems like the optimal choice.
