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[Event] UFC Fight Night 252 - Cejudo vs. Song - Feb 22
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Author:  Dent [ Tue Feb 18, 2025 7:06 am ]
Post subject:  [Event] UFC Fight Night 252 - Cejudo vs. Song - Feb 22

ImageUFC Fight Night 251 - Cannonier vs. Rodrigues --- UFC Fight Night 253 - Kape vs. Almabayev (coming...)Image

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UFC Fight Night 252: Cejudo vs. Song (also known as UFC Seattle) is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will take place on February 22, 2025, at the at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington, United States.


Fight card

Main card (ESPN+)


Bantamweight Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong
Middleweight Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez
Featherweight Jean Silva vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan
Catchweight (140 lb) Rob Font vs. Jean Matsumoto
Light Heavyweight Ion Cuțelaba vs. Ibo Aslan
Light Heavyweight Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker


Preliminary card (ESPN+)

Middleweight Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Eric McConico
Featherweight Andre Fili vs. Melquizael Costa
Bantamweight Ricky Simón vs. Javid Basharat
Middleweight Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Nick Klein
Light Heavyweight Modestas Bukauskas vs. Raffael Cerqueira



Background

The event will mark the promotion's fourth visit to Seattle and first since UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Moraga in July 2013.

A bantamweight bout between former UFC Flyweight and Bantamweight Champion (also 2008 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling) Henry Cejudo and Song Yadong is scheduled to headline the event.

A women's bantamweight bout between Ketlen Vieira and The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters women's featherweight winner Macy Chiasson was expected to take place at the event. However, due to an injury suffered by Chiasson, the bout was removed from the card. The pair was previously scheduled for UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 in January 2024, but Vieira was pulled as a result of an injury and the bout was scrapped.

A middleweight bout between Mansur Abdul-Malik and Antonio Trócoli was scheduled for this event. However, Trócoli withdrew for unknown reasons and was replaced by Nick Klein.

A welterweight bout between promotional newcomer Islam Dulatov and Adam Fugitt was scheduled for this event. However, Dulatov withdrew from the fight due to an undisclosed injury and was replaced by Billy Goff. In turn, the bout was scrapped during fight week as Fugitt pulled out due to injury.

Middleweight Chidi Njokuani was reportedly linked to this event, but he ended up being scheduled to compete at UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Dolidze 2 instead.

A bantamweight bout between former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion (also former WEC Bantamweight Champion) Dominick Cruz and Rob Font was scheduled for this event. However, Cruz withdrew from the fight due to an injury. Jean Matsumoto, who was scheduled to compete at UFC 313, replaced him in a catchweight bout of 140 pounds.

A heavyweight bout between former interim UFC Heavyweight Championship challenger Curtis Blaydes and promotional newcomer Rizvan Kuniev was scheduled for this event. However, the bout was moved to UFC 313 on March 8 for unknown reasons.

A featherweight bout between Edson Barboza and Steve Garcia was scheduled for this event. However, Barboza withdrew from the fight due to an injury and the bout was scrapped.

The Ultimate Fighter: Live lightweight winner Michael Chiesa was linked to this card with an unnamed opponent. However, no opponent was ever announced so he was removed from the card.





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Author:  Dent [ Tue Feb 18, 2025 7:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: [Event] UFC Fight Night 252 - Cejudo vs. Song - Feb 22


Fight By Fight Preview | UFC Seattle

Setting The Table For The UFC’s Long Awaited Return To The Pacific Northwest

By E. Spencer Kyte, on X @spencerkyte


After more than a decade, the UFC returns to the Seattle this weekend with a loaded fight card featuring critical matchups in several weight classes and further opportunities for a handful of promising ascending talents.

Headlined by a bantamweight scrap between former champ Henry Cejudo and Chinese standout Song Yadong, with a middleweight clash featuring Brendan Allen and Anthony Hernandez riding shotgun, Saturday’s return to Climate Pledge Arena promises to be an all-action affair from the outset.

With that being said, let’s dive into the matchups set to hit the Octagon this weekend in the Pacific Northwest.



Main Event Matchup: Henry Cejudo vs Song Yadong

Henry Cejudo and Song Yadong meet in a matchup of Top 10 bantamweights that promises to have an immediate impact on the landscape in the 135-pound ranks.

Fighting for the third time since returning from a three-year sabbatical, Cejudo looks to snap a two-fight skid when he makes the walk this weekend. He landed on the wrong side of the cards in his title bout with Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288 two years ago and was out-hustled by current champ Merab Dvalishvili last time out, leaving many to wonder if the time away marked the end of the days of “Triple C” being a capital T threat in the division he once ruled.

Already in his eighth year on the roster, but still just 27 years old, Song has found stable footing in the thick of the Top 10, but has yet to take the next step needed to become a full blown contender. He’s posted a 5-2 mark over his last seven outings, but the two setbacks have come in bouts that could have carried him forward against Cory Sandhagen and Petr Yan.

This is a crucial matchup for both individuals, and that should result in a spirited contest once they’re standing opposite one another. Cejudo is driven to avoid a three-fight slide and eager to prove he still has plenty to offer, while Song certainly doesn’t want to be saddled with a second consecutive setback and third defeat against fighters ahead of him in the pecking order.

Bantamweight is always ultra-competitive and there is the potential for some major hierarchical changes within the division this year, with this bout being one of those possible catalytic events. Buckle up and enjoy!



Additional Main Card Contests



Brendan Allen vs Anthony Hernandez

Seven years after facing off under the LFA banner, Brendan Allen and Anthony Hernandez meet for a second time, with a place in the UFC middleweight Top 10 hanging in the balance.

Allen, who sits at No. 9 in the divisional rankings, had his seven-fight winning streak snapped last time out when he dropped a three-round decision to Nassourdine Imavov in Paris. “All In” had earned five finishes during his run of success, leaning on his grappling more to secure submission wins over the likes of Andre Muniz, Bruno Silva, and Paul Craig.

Hernandez has rattled off six straight wins since going 1-2 to begin his UFC career. Last time out, “Fluffy” put on an absolute clinic against Michel Pereira, battering and finally finishing the athletic and dangerous Brazilian in the fifth round of their main event clash in mid-October.

Beating Allen for the vacant LFA middleweight strap earned Hernandez the opportunity to compete on the second season of Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS), where he punched his ticket to the UFC. Allen has always wanted this one back, and after taking a similar road to the Octagon and rocketing past his old rival in the pecking order, the 29-year-old Louisiana native finally gets his chance to earn a measure of revenge this weekend.


Jean Silva vs Melsik Baghdasaryan

Expect fireworks when Jean Silva and Melsik Baghdasaryan step into the Octagon against one another this weekend in what should be an all-action affair in the featherweight division.

A member of the ascending Fighting Nerds team, Silva was one of the breakout newcomers of 2024, posting three wins and three finishes while claiming Fight of the Night honors for his three-round battle with Drew Dober in July. He’s now won 11 consecutive contests, with the only bout that didn’t end inside the distance coming in his contract-winning turn over promising Argentine Kevin Vallejos on Season 7 of the Contender Series.

Baghdasaryan landed his spot on the UFC roster with a unanimous decision win over Dennis Buzukja in the fourth season of the annual talent search series, and has gone 3-1 inside the Octagon since. Unfortunately for “The Gun,” injuries and opponent withdrawals have limited him to just four appearances in the last four years, making it difficult for him to build any real momentum in the talent-rich 145-pound weight class.

This is a prime opportunity for the returning Baghdasaryan to catapult himself to the doorstep of the Top 15 by turning back the streaking Brazilian. Both are aggressive strikers with good power for the weight class, so don’t be surprised if one of the night’s bonuses comes from this contest.


Rob Font vs Jean Matsumoto

Matched up against one another on short notice, Rob Font and Jean Matsumoto face off in a 140-pound catchweight bout that promises to bring excitement to the main card.

A Top 15 fixture in the bantamweight division, Font halted a two-fight skid in October with a unanimous decision win over Kyler Phillips, registering his first win since stopping Adrian Yanez at UFC 287 the previous spring. Originally scheduled to face Dominick Cruz before the former champion was forced out with an injury and ultimately announced his retirement, the 37-year-old New England native will look to build upon a second camp at Tristar Gym in Montreal in order to pick up a second straight win here.

The 25-year-old Matsumoto touches down on the banks of Puget Sound having won each of his first two appearances inside the Octagon to extend his record to 16-0 as a professional. A member of the DWCS Class of ’23, wins over Dan Argueta and Brad Katona have established Matsumoto as an emerging name in the division, but a victory over Font would expedite his ascent in the ultra-competitive 135-pound weight class.

This is a classic “veteran versus prospect” battle with a catchweight twist, and it will be interesting to see how things shake out. Font has the benefit of a full camp preparing for Cruz, while the Brazilian, who was scheduled to face Chris Gutieirrez next month at UFC 313, has youth and the air of invincibility on his side. We’ll see which one wins out on Saturday.


Alonzo Menifield vs Julius Walker

Alonzo Menifield moves his 2025 debut ahead a couple of weeks, trading London for Seattle as he welcomes undefeated newcomer Julius Walker to the UFC for the first time.

The 37-year-old Menifield went 4-0-1 during a five-fight run in 2022 and 2023, but has since dropped back-to-back contests, falling by stoppage to surging contender Carlos Ulberg and unbeaten Russian Azamat Murzakanov. Still a physically imposing figure with menacing power, it will be interesting to see how the early DWCS grad responds to the first two-fight losing streak of his career.

Walker touches down in Seattle with a 6-0 mark that includes regional title fight wins over TUF alum Nyle Bartling, DWCS grad Bevon Lewis, and veteran Myron Dennis. “Juice Box” has won nine straight overall dating back to his amateur days, and posted four wins in 2024, claiming titles in two promotions while finishing everyone he faced.

Will Menifield’s experience on the big stage help him carry the day or can the 25-year-old new arrival come in and catapult himself into the thick of things in the light heavyweight division after his debut effort?



Preliminary Card Pairings



Andre Fili vs Melquizael Costa

The prelims wrap in the 145-pound weight class, as veteran Andre Fili squares off with Melquizael Costa.

A 23-fight UFC veteran, Fili, who was born in nearby Federal Way, WA, hits the Octagon coming off a quality win over Cub Swanson last time out that raised his record to 24-11 overall, with one no contest. Costa earned a victory in his lone appearance of 2024, collecting a third-round stoppage win over Shayilan Nuerdanbieke to bring his UFC record level at two wins and two losses.


Ion Cutelaba vs Ibo Aslan

“All gas, no brakes” light heavyweights Ion Cutelaba and Ibo Aslan collide in what promises to be a thunderous matchup in the 205-pound weight class on Saturday.
Ibo Aslan of Turkey punches Rafael Cerqueira of Brazil in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Eight years into his UFC run, Cutelaba remains a perpetually dangerous opponent, despite a sub .500 record inside the Octagon, and arrives in Seattle having outworked Ivan Erslan last time out. A member of the DWCS Class of ’23, Aslan earned a pair of wins in his rookie campaign, gaining a measure of vengeance against Anton Turkalj before quickly dispatching Raffael Cerqueira.


Adam Fugitt vs Billy Ray Goff

Oregon native Adam Fugitt welcomes Billy Ray Goff to the Pacific Northwest in this preliminary card contest in the welterweight division.

The 36-year-odl Fugitt has gone 2-2 through his first four UFC appearances, landing on the wrong side of the results in bouts with Michael Morales and Mike Malott, while posting quality wins over Yusaku Kinoshita and Josh Quinlan. Goff punched his ticket to the UFC with a first-round finish on Season 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series and beat Kinoshita in his promotional debut before dropping a decision to Trey Waters last time out.


Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Eric McConico

Nursulton Ruziboev returns to action (and the middleweight division) on Saturday, as he welcomes Eric McConico to the Octagon for the first time.

The six-foot-five Ruziboev opened his UFC career with back-to-back stoppage wins before moving down to welterweight and landing on the wrong side of the results in a bout with surging contender Joaquin Buckley. McConico is the latest member of the MMA Lab crew to graduate to the UFC, arriving for his debut with a 9-2-1 record and riding a five-fight winning streak that includes a stoppage win over UFC vet Maki Pitolo.


Ricky Simón vs Javid Basharat

The first of the night’s three bantamweight pairings sees Ricky Simon and Javid Basharat share the Octagon in a battle of competitors looking to work into the Top 15 in 2025.

Simon has carried a number next to his name in the past, but has slipped from the rankings as a result of a three-fight slide. Basharat ran his record to 14-0 with wins in his first three UFC outings, but enters this one off a no contest result against Victor Henry and a unanimous decision loss to Aiemann Zahabi last time out.


Mansur Abdul-Malik vs Nick Klein

Recent DWCS graduates Mansur Abdul-Malik and Nick Klein square off in a clash of middleweight prospects on Saturday’s prelims.

The 27-year-old Abdul-Malik has already made a statement inside the Octagon, posting a first-round stoppage win over Dusko Todorovic in his promotional debut last November. Klein, who earned a 37-second upset win in the final bout of last season, looks to push his winning streak to four by handing the Xtreme Couture representative the first loss of his career.


Modestas Bukauskas vs Rafael Cerqueira

Saturday’s action gets underway in the light heavyweight division, as Modestas Bukauskas takes on Rafael Cerqueira.

Former Cage Warriors champ Bukauskas picked up his third win in four starts since returning to the promotion last July in London, submitting Marcin Prachnio in the third round to move to 16-6 overall. Eleven consecutive finishes in as many starts earned Cerqueira an opportunity to compete in the UFC last year, but unfortunately for the Brazilian, he landed on the business end of the first-round finish in his debut.

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