Song stuns Umar to crash the 135 race

A stacked Saturday of results reshaped the bantamweight title picture and littered the day with finishes. Song Yadong's homecoming upset of Umar Nurmagomedov headlined UFC Shanghai, sparked a cageside near-brawl, and was joined by Denise Gomes' brutal co-main KO. Away from the UFC, MMA legends and ex-Octagon names filled boxing and bare-knuckle cards from Sao Paulo to Orlando to Miami.

Song Yadong KOs Umar Nurmagomedov, demands the title shot

Song Yadong pulled off one of the year's biggest upsets in the UFC Shanghai main event, dropping heavy underdog Umar Nurmagomedov with a right uppercut 1:48 into Round 2 for the first knockout loss of Nurmagomedov's career. Down on the cards after the opening round, Song stuffed a takedown and timed the finish as Umar changed levels. He banked a $100,000 bonus and told the brass, 'Give me the title shot.' Nurmagomedov (20-2) posted that he'll 'work on the mistakes' and return.

Why it matters: Song vaults into the top five and the No. 1-contender conversation with the Petr Yan-Merab Dvalishvili trilogy set for UFC 333 on Oct. 24, while Umar's second title run is derailed and he faces a long climb back.

Usman Nurmagomedov storms cage after brother's KO, denies swing at Song

PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov leapt the fence and rushed into the Octagon after Umar was knocked out, colliding with a celebrating Song Yadong and appearing on some angles to pull an elbow before holding back. Facing calls to have his corner license revoked, and even for the UFC to scrap plans to sign him, Usman called critics 'spiteful, petty, and envious' and insisted, 'If I had wanted to, I would have hit him.' Daniel Cormier defended him but noted corners aren't allowed in the cage.

Why it matters: A commission sanction or licensing issue would complicate the UFC's expected move to sign the undefeated free agent once his PFL deal expires.

Denise Gomes flatlines Yan Xiaonan with elbow, makes her title case

In the UFC Shanghai co-main event, No. 9 Denise Gomes iced former title challenger Yan Xiaonan with a standing elbow and follow-up punches at 4:49 of Round 1, leaving Yan unconscious and grabbing the referee's leg. The 26-year-old Brazilian's fifth straight win is the longest active streak at 115 pounds, and her fourth KO ties Jessica Andrade for the most in UFC strawweight history. Gomes said she's 'ready for whoever the UFC brings.'

Why it matters: Gomes crashes toward the top five and into the mix for a shot at champion Mackenzie Dern, while Yan's slide continues at 2-3 in her last five.

Glover Teixeira batters Shogun Rua over eight rounds in boxing debut

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira, 46, dropped and dominated fellow Brazilian legend Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua, 44, to win a lopsided unanimous decision (79-72, 79-72, 80-71) in their boxing match atop Spaten Fight Night 3 in Sao Paulo. Teixeira, cornered by Alex Pereira, scored a second-round knockdown and swelled Rua's eye shut over a bout many fans called brutal to watch. Rua billed it as his combat swan song; Teixeira left the door open to fight again.

Why it matters: Both men retired from MMA on the same UFC 283 card in 2023; the punishment Rua absorbed underlines why the crossover-boxing circuit for aging legends draws as much concern as nostalgia.

Mike Perry dislocates shoulder, stopped by late replacement Brandon Jenkins

Mike Perry's night at the inaugural Duel Arena 1 in Orlando ended in disaster as his shoulder popped out of the socket mid-exchange and Jenkins, a UFC and PFL veteran who stepped in on roughly 48 hours' notice for the withdrawn Dillon Danis, finished him with a first-round body kick and ground-and-pound. Perry, who took a pay cut when the show shifted from pay-per-view to a livestream after Danis pulled out, suffered his first stoppage loss since 2019.

Why it matters: It's a costly, injury-marred setback for the BKFC star and leaves the manufactured Perry-Danis feud with no payoff.

Trujillo stops Terrill in the second to defend BKB heavyweight title

Undefeated BKB heavyweight champion Gustavo Trujillo was pushed out of the first round for the first time in his bare-knuckle career before folding late replacement Mick Terrill with a rasping body shot at 2:59 of Round 2 at BKB 58 in Miami. Terrill, a former BKFC heavyweight champion, took the fight on days' notice after the original bout collapsed over visa issues. Boxing champion Tyson Fury made a surprise ringside appearance and spoke inside the trigon before the main event.

Why it matters: The win keeps the Cuban's perfect record intact and, with WBC and WBO rankings already to his name, teed up his stated goal of a gloved-boxing crossover bout against a ranked name.

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