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Song Yadong put on an incredible display of violence in the co-main event of UFC FIght Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev. The 19-6-1 bantamweight went up against MMA veteran 'Magic' Marlon Moraes.
Yadong finished the fight in the first round, knocking Moraes out cold with a brutal series of strikes. This win will likely see him enter the top 10 of the 135lb division, opening up a host of exciting new matchups for the Team Alpha Male product.
Yadong is only 24 years old, but has already faced a number of high-level opposition, including the likes of Marlon 'Chito' Vera, Casey Kenny and Kyler Phillips. However, he is now on the cusp of establishing himself as a top contender in the division, meaning that his next bout will be curucal to the future of his MMA career.
In the following list, we breakdown five potential opponents for Song Yadong to face following his win over Marlon Moraes at UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev. Honorable mentions go to Ricky Simon, Cory Sandhagen and the winner or loser of Marlon Vera vs. Rob Font.
#5. Song Yadong vs. Frankie 'The Answer' Edgar
Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar is clearly entering the twilight of his career and is currently coming off back to back KO losses against Marlon Vera and Cory Sandhagen.
However, he is yet to announce his retirement, and is still ranked at No.11 in the UFC's bantamweight division. Should he wish to continue, Edgar must face the upcoming fighters at 135lbs. Edgar also has great name value due to his linegae as a former champ, and Yadong will no doubt jump at the chance to face off against the veteran of the sport.
Yadong has knocked out his last two opponents, and it is hard to imagine a scenario where this would not happen again if he was paired with Edgar. But 'The Answer' is still a savvy fighter with loads of experience. There is always a chance his pressure and wrestling could give Yadong more trouble than anticipated.
#4. Song Yadong vs. Pedro 'The Young Punisher' Munhoz
Similar to Frankie Edgar, it appears that Pedro Munhoz is entering the twilight of his career. 'The Young Punisher' is 1-4 in his last five fights, although he was not finished in any of them, and gave a great account of himself in each fight.
Currently ranked at No.9, Munhoz would be a very logical opponent for Yadong, whose win over Moraes will likely see him claim the No.10 spot. Both men are explosive strikers, and when paired together would likely produce an extremely exciting 135lb scrap.
#3. Song Yadong vs. 'Sugar' Sean O'Malley
Finally in the rankings after defeating Raulian Paiva at UFC 269, Sean O'Malley will finally be forced to begin fighting the best the bantamweight division has to offer. His career so far has seen him placed in several favorable matchups, but there are no 'easy' fights within the top 15.
O'Malley sits at No.12 in the bantamweight division, but his name value garners so much stock that it is likely most fighters in the top 15 would be happy to take a matchup with him.
Yadong and O'Malley are arguably the two fighters in the top 15 with the most potential to go far, which could give the UFC pause when considering matching them up with each other.
But it is hard to think of a more fan-friendly fight to make in the entire division right now than Sean O'Malley vs. Song Yadong.
#2. Song Yadong vs. Merab 'The Machine' Dvalishvili
No.6 ranked Merab Dvalishvili is also coming off a dynamic finish over Marlon Moraes at UFC: 266, and is now on the precipice of becoming a 135lb contender. One more big win for 'The Machine' will see him enter the elite of the division alongside the likes of Cory Sandhagen and Jose Aldo.
Dvalishvili's seven-fight win streak has him in a great spot with considerable hype around his name. If Yadong was able to derail 'The Machine' then it would be a statement of intent for the rest of the division, as well as catapulting the Chinese prospect into title contention.
#1. Song Yadong vs. Dominick 'The Dominator' Cruz
Following his win over Moraes, Song Yadong called out former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. Considering Yadong is a Team Alpha Male fighter, there is a built-in rivalry with Cruz, and Yadong stated in the post fight press conference that he was looking to continue said rivalry into the next era.
Cruz has been calling for a fight with former champion Jose Aldo as of late, but there is currently little to indicate that the fight is close to being booked. Should 'The Dominator' wish to remain active, then a fight with the dangerous Yadong could be perfect.
Cruz would represent the toughest test to date for Yadong, and a win would boost his profile significantly. It would also allow Urijah Faber another chance to get one up over his old rival.
