West is best once again for the large and loyal band of MMA fans, though this week we head far north up the Pacific Coast to Seattle for the latest UFC Fight Night action. The glittering gem on the card taking place on Saturday, February 22, at the Climate Pledge Arena in ‘The Emerald City’ is the clash between Henry Cejudo and Song Yadong. Both fighters, who haven’t fought for a year or so, are looking to improve their position in the top 10 of the bantamweight division. Another top-10 bantamweight star, Rob Font, is also on the main card line-up in Seattle, though his bout with Jean Matsumoto is a catchweight (140lb) contest.
Henry Cejudo, the 2008 Olympic wrestling gold medallist, will enter the octagon in Seattle hoping to rediscover some of his old spark that saw him reign supreme as UFC champion at both flyweight and bantamweight. His legendary status was built on the fact he is only the fourth UFC fighter to hold titles in two different weight classes simultaneously and is only the second to defend titles in two different weight divisions. ‘Triple C’ hung up his UFC mitts following his 2nd round stoppage win over Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 in 2020.
However, the challenge of taking on the best cage fighters in the world proved too strong a draw and Cejudo was back in action in May 2023. The dream return hasn’t materialised, though, as following his defeat to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288, he was also on the wrong end of the decision when taking on Merab Dvalishvili in his latest encounter (February 2024). Cejudo knows he’s supping at the last chance saloon, but this looks on paper to be his easiest comeback clash.
Song Yadong is a well-known face in UFC circles, having fought regularly on the circuit since 2017 and at 27, he’s Cejudo’s junior by 9 years. While the Chinese fighter holds a 10-3-1 record since signing for Dana White’s organisation, those three defeats have come at untimely moments, preventing Song from progressing and taking the next step needed to become a full-blown contender. The 'Kung Fu Kid' suffered another setback in his latest appearance when losing by unanimous decision to Petr Yan at UFC 299 in March last year.
This is a crucial match-up for both individuals. Cejudo is desperate to avoid a career-low three-fight losing streak and prove to the UFC world that he is still relevant, while Song can’t afford another loss to another top-10 fighter if he is to maintain his dream of securing a title shot. Before Cejudo and Song clash, two former Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) rivals, Brendan Allen and Anthony Hernandez, collide in an intriguing middleweight bout. Allen is coming off a loss against highly-rated Nassourdine Imavov, while Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez looks to make it seven straight wins on the spin. The last two of those successes received ‘Performance of the Night’ awards.
Getty ImagesAfter more than a decade, the UFC returns to Seattle this weekend with a loaded fight card featuring critical matchups in several weight classes. Let GOAL show you all the vital information you need including the full main card details, what time all the action gets underway and how you can watch and stream all the fights live.
When is UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Song?
Date | Saturday, February 22 |
Location | Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington, United States |
Time | The ESPN+ prelims show starts at 6 pm ET / 11 pm GMT |
Main event ring walks (approx) | 11 pm ET / 4 am (Sun) GMT |
UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Song (or UFC Fight Night 252) marks the promotion's fourth visit to Seattle, but it’s the first event since UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Moraga in July 2013. The Climate Pledge Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Seattle. It is located in the entertainment complex known as the Seattle Center, the site of the 1962 World's Fair, for which it was originally developed.
From 2018 to 2021, the arena underwent a $1.15 billion redevelopment, and the renovated venue has a capacity of 17,151 for ice hockey and 18,300 for basketball. The arena is currently the home to the NHL's Seattle Kraken and the WNBA's Seattle Storm. It used to be the long-term home of the Seattle Supersonics of NBA fame, before their infamous and controversial relocation to Oklahoma City. Aside from UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Moraga, the other two previous UFC events staged at Climate Pledge Arena were UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs Davis (2011) and UFC on Fox: Henderson vs Diaz (2012).
How to watch UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Song in the US
In the United States, Cejudo vs Song, plus other UFC Fight Night 252 main card bouts and prelims, will be broadcast on ESPN+, with streaming available via the ESPN+ app. This is a standalone service from regular ESPN, so you don’t need to be an existing TV subscriber. You can download the app for PC, Apple, Android, Fire TV, Roku, Smart TV and many others. One month of ESPN+ is $11.99 (1 month (disney+/hulu) of ESPN+ is $16.99, 1 month (disney+/hulu no ads) of ESPN+ is $26.99), and 1 year costs $119.99.
How to watch UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Song in the UK
UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Song will be broadcast live on TNT Sports in the UK. You can live stream on discovery+ and watch via TNT Sports' TV channels on Sky, BT, and Virgin Media platforms. Discovery+ Premium is £30.99 per month and available on a monthly rolling contract. This includes TNT Sports, Eurosport, and other entertainment channels. Existing BT broadband customers can access TNT Sports for £20 per month. The package consists of TNT Sports, Discovery+, and Eurosport.
Those wanting to watch the preliminary card before the main card can stream the fights through UFC Fight Pass. To sign up for UFC Fight Pass in the UK, go to the official website and click ‘Sign Up.’ You can choose between monthly (£6.99) or annual (£71.99) subscription plans. So, the yearly plan works out at approximately £5.99 per month.
UFC Fight Pass offers exclusive live events worldwide, including Cage Warriors, LFA, and Invicta FC promotions. Subscribers get early access to UFC prelims before they air on TNT Sports, along with a massive MMA fight library of bouts from previous years.
Watch UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Song from anywhere with a VPN
If UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Song isn't available to watch live in your area or if you're travelling, you can use a VPN to tune into the action from wherever you are. A VPN creates a secure connection to bypass geographical restrictions and access your favourite streaming services from anywhere.
Stream live anywhere in the world with Nord VPNUFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs Song Card
Weight class | Fight |
|---|---|
Bantamweight | Henry Cejudo vs Song Yadong |
Middleweight | Brendan Allen vs Anthony Hernandez |
Catchweight (140 lb) | Rob Font vs Jean Matsumoto |
Featherweight | Jean Silva vs Melsik Baghdasaryan |
Middleweight | Rodolfo Vieira vs Andre Petroski |
Light Heavyweight | Alonzo Menifield vs Julius Walker |
Henry Cejudo MMA stats
- Age: 38
- Height: 1.63 m
- Reach: 1.63 m
- Total fights: 20
- Record: 16-4-0
Song Yadong MMA stats
- Age: 27
- Height: 1.73 m
- Reach: 1.7 m
- Total fights: 30
- Record: 21-8-1