February 22, 2025 – Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA The UFC rolled into the Emerald City last night for an electrifying Fight Night card headlined by a bantamweight clash that promised fireworks—and delivered chaos. Song Yadong cemented his status as a top contender, while Anthony Hernandez gritted out a career-defining win over Brendan Allen in the co-main event. From jaw-dropping knockouts to slick submissions, UFC Seattle was a rollercoaster of violence that left the sold-out crowd buzzing.
Main Event: Song Yadong def. Henry Cejudo via Technical Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
The night’s marquee matchup ended in a way no one saw coming. Song Yadong, the 27-year-old Chinese phenom, was putting on a striking clinic against former two-division champ Henry Cejudo—until an accidental foul brought the fight to an abrupt halt after three rounds. Cejudo, unable to continue, watched helplessly as the judges awarded Song a technical decision victory. The scorecards reflected Song’s dominance in the stand-up, bloodying Cejudo’s face with crisp combinations. For “Triple C,” it’s another setback in his comeback bid; for Song, it’s a massive statement in the stacked 135-pound division.
Co-Main Event: Anthony Hernandez def. Brendan Allen via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Middleweight contender Anthony Hernandez just won’t stop winning. Facing grappling wizard Brendan Allen, “Fluffy” turned in a gutsy performance, edging out a razor-close decision to extend his streak to seven. Allen’s submission attempts were relentless, but Hernandez’s tenacity and well-timed striking kept him ahead on the cards. It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective—Hernandez is now knocking on the door of the top five.
Main Card Highlights
• Rob Font def. Jean Matsumoto via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)At a 140-pound catchweight, Rob Font reminded everyone why he’s still a problem. The veteran outworked rising star Jean Matsumoto in a back-and-forth striking battle that could’ve gone either way. Two judges saw it for Font’s volume, and he walks away with a hard-earned W.
• Jean Silva def. Melsik Baghdasaryan via TKO (Strikes), Rd. 1, 4:15Jean Silva is a human highlight reel. The Brazilian featherweight starched Melsik Baghdasaryan with a vicious flurry, marking his fourth straight UFC stoppage. At this rate, Silva’s earning a reputation as one of the division’s most dangerous finishers.
• Alonzo Menifield def. Julius Walker via Split Decision (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)Alonzo Menifield welcomed Julius Walker to the Octagon with a grueling light heavyweight scrap. The debutant pushed Menifield to the brink, but the vet’s power and experience tipped the scales in a tight split call.
Prelim Fireworks
The early slate was a finish-fest, with stoppages galore lighting up the Seattle faithful:
• Ion Cutelaba def. Ibo Aslan via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke), Rd. 1, 2:51“The Hulk” roared back, choking out Ibo Aslan with a textbook arm-triangle in under three minutes.
• Melquizael Costa def. Andre Fili via Submission (Guillotine Choke), Rd. 1, 4:30Costa caught Fili slipping, locking in a guillotine that ended the veteran’s night early.
• Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Nick Klein via TKO (Punches), Rd. 2, 3:24Undefeated Abdul-Malik weathered an early storm before turning the tide with a brutal second-round finish.
• Ricky Simon def. Javid Basharat via KO (Punches), Rd. 1Simon’s hands were dynamite, flattening Basharat with a picture-perfect knockout that’ll live on in highlight reels.
• Austin Vanderford def. Nikolay Veretennikov via Stoppage, Rd. 2The local boy delivered, finishing Veretennikov in front of a roaring hometown crowd.
• Nursulton Ruziboev def. [Opponent TBD] via Stoppage, Rd. 2Ruziboev’s middleweight rampage continued with another emphatic finish—details still trickling in on his opponent.
• Modestas Bukauskas def. Rafael Cerqueira via KO (Strikes), Rd. 1, 2:12Bukauskas kicked off the night with a bang, flattening Cerqueira in a light heavyweight barnburner.
The Takeaway
With eight finishes across twelve fights, UFC Seattle was a showcase of the sport’s raw brutality. Song Yadong’s technical win over Cejudo shakes up bantamweight, while Hernandez’s gritty victory keeps his dark-horse momentum alive. The prelims, in particular, were a finishing clinic—proof that the undercard can steal the show. Next stop: wherever the UFC takes us, but for now, Seattle’s fight fans are still buzzing from a wild night at Climate Pledge Arena.
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