The opening bell for UFC Seattle is almost upon us. And that means it is time to break down the main event between Song Yadong and Henry Cejudo, who will tussle at Climate Pledge Arena on Saturday, February 22.
- What: UFC Seattle
- When: Saturday, February 22, 2025
- Start Time: 7 p.m. EST (preliminary bouts), 10 p.m. EST (main card)
- Where: Seattle, Washington
- Venue: Climate Pledge Arena
- Where to Watch: ESPN+ (subscription required)
- Main Event: Song Yadong vs. Henry Cejudo
Both fighters enter UFC Seattle coming off losses. Yadong currently sports a lifetime 21-8-1 record. His last bout came at UFC 299 in March 2024. There, he fell to Petr Yan by unanimous decision after losing the striking battle 99-86. Previously, though, Yadong nabbed victories in five of his past six fights. His only loss during that span came at a UFC Fight Night against Cory Sandhagen.
Cejudo comes to UFC Seattle with an overall record of 16-4-0. He has dropped each of his past two fights. His last match came more than a year ago, at UFC 298, against Merab Dvalishvili. He was smoked in the striking department, 74-29, and wound up losing by unanimous decision. Before that, after holding the Flyweight championship belt through four matches, he fell by submission to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288.
UFC Seattle Main Event: Song Yadong vs. Henry Cejudo Betting Lines
Though Cejudo semi-recently held the Flyweight championship, his two most recent losses never boded well for him ahead of UFC Seattle betting lines. As you can see below, the latest online UFC betting odds have him pegged as the decided underdog.
Please remember to keep checking these UFC Seattle betting odds right up until you actually submit your wager. Our UFC Seattle online betting lines are accurate entering Tuesday, February 11. This gives the best online UFC betting sites more than enough time to make adjustments ahead of the opening bell.
In this case, specifically, you will want to be on the lookout for Song Yadong morphing into a heavier favorite. The initial betting lines had him at a 1-to-2 payout. Those have moved quite a bit. At one point, some of the top online sports betting apps in the United States even had him laying something closer to a 1-to-3 payout. Do not be surprised if he creeps closer to the ladder over the next couple of weeks.
The Case for Song Yadong to Beat Henry Cejudo
The reaction to see Yadong take on Cejudo remains one of shock. Many think he should be in a line for a higher-profile fight. He isn’t quite in title-shot territory after losing to Yan. But the 27-year-old appeared to be on the track.
Regardless, striking offense will be mission critical for Yadong. While he prioritizes quality over quantity, his hit rate does not necessarily support the approach. He is landing just 43 percent of his significant strikes per minute. That is comfortably below the UFC average of around 47 percent.
The more measured approach has also paved the way for some iffy finishes. Yadong has lost the striking battle in each of his past two matches, including his overall victory against Chris Gutierrez.
Basically, Sadong may want to think about speeding up his process a bit. And Cejudo is the exact type of opponent against whom he should test out a faster approach.
The Case for Henry Cejudo to Beat Song Yadong
Fans and analysts alike seem to be losing faith in Cejudo earning another title shot. His performance against Merab Dvalishvii, who positively owned him, seems to have been the nail in the coffin. Cerudo not only lost the striking battle badly, but he suffered five takedowns while completing just one.
Cejudo should not need to worry about takedown defense against Sadong. That is good news for the 38-year-old. Because while his takedown defense has slipped, he continues to evade 60 percent of opponent striking attempts.
Given Sadong’s own accuracy issues, waiting out one of his misses looms as Cejudo’s best path to victory. Sadong will inevitably find himself off-balance, and Cejudo has the power required to end the match with one shot.
UFC Seattle Picks for Yadong vs. Cejudo
Conventional wisdom dictates we go with Yadong to beat Cejudo at UFC Seattle. He is around 13 years younger, four inches taller and has a three-inch advantage in the reach department.
And yet, we struggle to write of Cejudo’s enduring power. Though he has lost two straight, each of his previous three victories have come by knockout or total knockout.
On top of that, Cejudo’s center of gravity also renders him the more lethal takedown artist. He isn’t as quick as he used to be, but he has enough gas in the tank to quickly bring down opponents.
Nevertheless, our belief in Cejudo isn’t nearly strong enough to predict the upset. Make no mistake, Yadong has his flaws. But he has improved a great deal on the margins over the past couple of years, including as someone who can evade and block takedowns. And while there might be a power discrepancy between the two, Yadong has some pop to him as well—enough to even bag a potential knockout against this aging version of Cejudo.
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