Unexpected Turn at UFC Seattle as Yadong Secures Victory After Eye-Poke Ends Main Event Early

Dramatic Showdown Ends in Controversy

A packed crowd at Climate Pledge Arena witnessed an abrupt and unexpected finish when Song Yadong secured victory over former two-division champion Henry Cejudo in the main event of UFC Seattle. What began as a hard-fought battle escalated into a bizarre finale after a double eye-poke left Cejudo unable to continue, resulting in a technical decision win for Yadong.

High-Stakes Action Shifts in Final Moments

The third round’s intensity surged with both fighters delivering powerful strikes. Cejudo, known for his wrestling pedigree, began to bleed on Yadong’s nose, drawing cheers from fans. However, the bout took a sudden turn when Cejudo stepped forward, only to be blinded by a double eye-poke—the first strike followed closely by a groin shot from Yadong.

Despite Cejudo’s persistence, calling for medical attention between rounds and visibly struggling to see from his left eye, the fight resumed briefly. After the fourth round was briefly signaled, referee Jason Herzog intervened and halted the contest, sending fighters to the judges’ scorecards. Yadong was awarded a unanimous technical decision (29–28, 29–28, 30–27), even with the foul thrown in his favor.

Reflections and Reactions from the Octagon

Song Yadong addressed the outcome with respect and humility:

“Sorry, that was totally accidental. The result is not what I want, but I’m so sorry Henry. He’s a legend… we should run it back.”

Henry Cejudo, visibly frustrated and impaired by the injury, expressed his readiness for a rematch:

“I couldn’t see out of my left eye… I wanted to continue…but if I can’t see, bro, this dude’s going to hurt me. Of course, we can run it back, 100 percent.”

Breakdown of the Fight—Why It Was So Close

Song Yadong: Strong opening performance on his feet, showing crisp striking and precision defense.

Henry Cejudo: Pushed back with takedown attempts but managed to land powerful lunges that cut Yadong and kept him in the fight.

Both fighters showed resilience and skill, making the lead-up to the ending highly competitive.

Other Notable Moments from UFC Seattle

While the main event grabbed the headlines, the undercard also delivered memorable results:

Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez triumphed over Brendan Allen by unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28), marking seven straight wins in the UFC.

Rob Font narrowly edged out Jean Matsumoto in a split decision bantamweight bout.

Jean Silva stunned the crowd with a first-round knockout victory at featherweight.

In light heavyweight action, Alonzo Menifield secured a decision win over Julius Walker.

Preliminary fights also captured attention:

Ion Cuţelaba’s dominating arm-triangle submission.

Melquizael Costa and Mansur Abdul-Malik both claimed victories via knockout and TKO.

Ricky Simon and Austin Vanderford extended impressive strike streaks.

Modestas Bukauskas added another first-round knockout to the evening’s highlights.

What This Means Moving Forward

For Henry Cejudo, this marks his third consecutive defeat since coming out of retirement, raising questions about his comeback and future in MMA. Meanwhile, Song Yadong earned a win under dramatic circumstances that likely won’t settle well with fans, but it places him back in the spotlight at bantamweight.

With rematch calls already happening and the rest of the UFC Seattle event delivering action-packed performances, fight fans can expect more drama and high-stakes storytelling in the Octagon.