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Rumors have been swirling about a potential clash between rising stars Song Yadong and Umar Nurmagomedov, but it looks like fans will have to wait until 2024 to see it happen. Urijah Faber, head coach of Team Alpha Male, has put the December rumors to rest, confirming that the fight won’t be happening this year.
In a recent interview with Helen Yee, Faber addressed the speculation.
“We don’t have a date for that yet. I don’t think Dec. 14 is the date that we’ve talked about,” Faber said. “I think January is what we’re looking at, but we like that fight.”
UFC 311, scheduled for January 18, seems to be the most likely stage for this anticipated bantamweight bout.
Nurmagomedov, undefeated with an 18-0 record, solidified himself as the No. 1 contender after a decisive victory over Cory Sandhagen in August. With his unblemished record, Nurmagomedov is eager to stay active, especially since UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili is expected to defend his belt in March. That date, however, coincides with Ramadan, during which Nurmagomedov doesn’t compete, leaving him looking for a fight in the interim.
On the other side, Song Yadong has established himself as a dangerous contender in the bantamweight division. With a record of 21-8-1, Yadong has won five of his last seven fights, although he is coming off a tough unanimous decision loss to former champion Petr Yan at UFC 299 in March.
As of now, nothing has been officially signed, but the pieces are starting to fall into place for this exciting matchup. If the fight does get booked for January, it promises to be a showdown between two of the most avoided fighters in the division, both looking to secure their place in title contention.
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