Ultimate showdown in which the Usurper and the Underkeeper must go for broke
Song Yadong will face Ricky Simon in the main event of UFC Vegas 71. | IMAGO / Imaginechina
By Ed Emeanua
On Saturday April 29, 2023, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) presents its Fight Night 223 featuring a Song Yadong versus Ricky Simón headliner, in a matchup where the underkeeper dukes it out with the usurper.
This weekend’s main event involves two rising stars with their eyes set on the future. It is a fight in which Song is bent on making a comeback to winning ways following his devastating TKO loss off a doctor prescribed mercy-stoppage to Cory Sandhagen at UFC Fight Night 210 on Sep. 17, 2022. This clash represents the big event in UFC Vegas 72 fight card which will air live on ESPN+ from UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, for over five-rounds.
Ranked number 8 in his class, the underkeeper-Song (19-2-1, 1 NC)-who fights by way of China, will attempt to keep his spot on the ranking log against the usurper-Simón (20-3)-who hails from the United States. Simón, in turn, will reciprocate by doing almost everything possible to takeover his opponent’s place on the bantamweight catalogue for who is who in world Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), when all is said and done.
Before his September 2022 loss, Song won two of his previous fights via TKO against Marlon Moraes in the first round and Julio Arce (in round 2), and defeated Casey Kenney via a split decision. Simón will be gunning for his sixth straight win in the impending grandstanding and beefing with Song on Saturday. Song on his part, is ridding on a confidence building wave of five-fight win streak in which he has notably successfully snuffed out three oppositions and is hoping to stretch that confidence with another win on Saturday night.
In his past appearance in July, the American was able to subdue Jack Shore in a second round submission win via an arm triangle choke at UFC Long Island on July 16, 2022. The victory came after his second-round knockout of Raphael Assuncao and an undisputed win over Brian Kelleher via decision. Ranked tenth in the bantamweight class, Simón’s last memorable loss was to Rob Font by a unanimous decision at UFC Washington on Dec. 7, 2019. Simón is aware that a victory against Song could force the organization to approve a Simón versus Font rematch.
UFC 258: Ricky Simon defeats Brian Kelleher via unanimous decision
This bout was originally scheduled as the co-main event for last weekend’s UFC Vegas 71, but was moved to this week as an upgrade and mostly to headline UFC Vegas 72. Simón seized the opportunity to voice his appreciation over the change following the announcement last Saturday.
“Bantamweight is the best division right now,” he said via Twitter. “5 round, main event!”
Bantamweight is the best division right now. 5 round, main event! https://t.co/Vd9XYAcNmX
— Ricky Simón (@RickySimonUFC) April 18, 2023
Though this fight will be Simón’s first in the five-round UFC fighting duration, he is not new to going into uncharted waters during bouts. In 2017 before coming to the Brand, Simón endured five rounds of blood letting with Chico Camus to win the LFA Bantamweight Championship. Half of his UFC violet dates have also lasted the entire duration of the bouts.
In the co-main event, middleweight and Brazil star, Caio Borralho (13-1), will tryout for retaining his unblemished UFC record when he tangoes with Michal Oleksiejczuk from Poland. Also on the main card, Rodolfo Vieira (8-2) of Brazil will fight with Cody Brundage (8-3) of the United States in another middleweight face-off, while Brazil’s Marcos Rogerio de Lima (20-9-1, will) take on Waldo Cortes-Acosta (9-0), who fights out of his native Dominican Republic in the heavyweight division, and Josh Quinlan (6-0) of the United States will do battle with Ange Loosa (9-3) of Congo at welterweight.
The lead of the preliminary card features Slovakia’s heavyweight Martin Buday (11-1) clashing with fellow heavyweight and American, Jake Collier (13-8). In other bouts, the American, Julian Erosa (28-11), takes on Mexico’s Fernando Padilla (14-4) in a featherweight joust, as Natan Levy (8-1) of Israel tackles USA’s Pete Rodriguez (5-1), at lightweight, as well as Cody Durden (14-4-1), who will engage fellow-American, Charles Johnson (13-4) at flyweight.
In other bantamweight challenges, Stephanie Egger (8-3) from Switzerland goes up against Irina Alekseeva (4-1), Brian Kelleher (24-14) and Journey Newson (10-4) will duke it out in an all-American face-off, and Hailey Cowan (7-2) of the United States goes up against Jamey-Lyn Horth (5-0) of Canada.
Saturday 29 April – UFC Fight Night – UFC Apex, Las Vegas, US
What time does it start?
The prelims will begin at 9pm BST (1pm PT, 3pm CT, 4pm ET) on Saturday, with the main card following at 12am BST on Sunday 30 April (4pm PT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET on Saturday).
How can I watch it?
The card will air live on BT Sport in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights.
In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass.
Full card (subject to change)
Main card
Song Yadong vs Ricky Simon (bantamweight)
Caio Borralho vs Michal Oleksiejczuk (middleweight)
Rodolfo Vieira vs Cody Brundage (middleweight)
Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs Waldo Cortes Acosta (heavyweight)
Josh Quinlan vs Ange Loosa (welterweight)
Prelims
Martin Buday vs Jake Collier (heavyweight)
Julian Erosa vs Fernando Padilla (featherweight)
Natan Levy vs Pete Rodriguez (lightweight)
Cody Durden vs Charles Johnson (flyweight)
Stephanie Egger vs Irina Alekseeva (woman’s bantamweight)
Brian Kelleher vs Journey Newson (bantamweight)
Hailey Cowan vs Jamey-Lyn Horth (women’s bantamweight)
In Australia, UFC Vegas 72: Song vs Simon airs live on Sunday, April 30.
