Song Yadong says the viral moment following his knockout of Umar Nurmagomedov looked worse than it actually was and believes Usman was simply reacting instinctively while trying to reach his brother.
Song Yadong has offered his perspective on the chaotic scene that unfolded immediately after his stunning knockout victory over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Shanghai.
The moment quickly attracted attention online because, viewed from certain angles and particularly in slow motion, it appeared as though Usman Nurmagomedov may have been preparing to strike Song after jumping into the Octagon.
Song doesn’t believe that’s what happened.
Instead, “The Kung Fu Kid” says the entire sequence was the result of confusion, adrenaline and a brother reacting to the sight of Umar lying unconscious on the canvas.
WHAT HAPPENED?
For those who missed the incident, the chaos began seconds after Song scored one of the biggest victories of his career.
Song Yadong entered the UFC Shanghai main event as a significant underdog against Umar, but dramatically changed the fight in the second round when he caught Nurmagomedov with an uppercut as he changed levels, sending him crashing to the canvas for the knockout.
The result immediately triggered a reaction from Umar’s younger brother, Usman, who was outside the cage.
Usman, the undefeated PFL lightweight champion, jumped over the Octagon fence and rushed toward his brother.
That’s when things became confusing.
An official moved toward Usman after he entered the cage, while Song was also moving across the Octagon. Song and Usman suddenly found themselves on a near-collision course.
Video of the incident appeared to show Usman turning toward Song and raising his arm, with the movement resembling someone preparing to throw an elbow. Usman never followed through with a strike, and the two ultimately passed one another without a fight breaking out.
The clip nevertheless spread online, with some viewers interpreting Usman’s movement as an attempted attack on the man who had just knocked out his brother.
Song sees it differently.
SONG: “ACTUALLY I UNDERSTAND”
After reviewing footage of the incident, Song Yadong acknowledged why Usman’s movement could initially look aggressive in slow motion.
But he believes the context tells a different story.
“Watching the slow motion, it looked like he was turning around to throw an elbow or something, but actually I understand because they are brothers, you know?” Song said in a recent interview.
According to Song, Usman wasn’t entering the Octagon to confront him. He was trying to get to Umar.
Song believes Usman was already reacting to an official approaching him after he entered the cage. Then, with Song suddenly moving in his direction, Usman instinctively reacted as though he might need to protect himself.
“The internet said he wanted to maliciously attack me; he just thought I was going over to attack him,” Song explained. “Because he went over to check on his brother, and suddenly someone runs over, as you’d definitely react that way.”
From Song’s perspective, the movement that looked like the beginning of an elbow was simply Usman putting himself into a defensive posture.
“He thought I was going to attack him,” Song added. “Because when he went to see it, a person suddenly ran over. You can see it in slow motion; he closed his eyes. And then I ran over there and he defended it. That’s it.”
A VIRAL MOMENT WITHOUT THE FULL CONTEXT
The distinction matters because the short replay of Usman’s movement can look considerably different when separated from everything happening around it.
Umar had just suffered a sudden knockout. His brother immediately entered the cage to reach him. An official approached Usman, Song came moving through the same area, and Usman reacted in a matter of seconds.
None of that changes the fact that jumping into the Octagon created an unusual and potentially volatile situation. The incident itself became one of the major talking points to emerge from UFC Shanghai alongside Song’s upset victory.
But Song, the person who would have been on the receiving end if Usman actually intended to throw the elbow, doesn’t believe there was malicious intent behind the movement.
Rather than adding fuel to the controversy surrounding one of the strangest moments of the night, Song has chosen to give Usman the benefit of the doubt.
From his perspective, Usman saw his brother unconscious, rushed into the cage to check on him, suddenly saw someone coming toward him and instinctively defended himself.
For Song, there isn’t much more to it.
“That’s it.”
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