UFC Shanghai Weigh-Ins: Nurmagomedov vs. Song Ready for Bantamweight Clash
The scales have spoken in Shanghai, and the message is clear: the bantamweights are ready to steal the show.
With just over 24 hours to go before UFC Shanghai ignites the Shanghai Indoor Stadium, headliners Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong both made weight, clearing the final hurdle for a 135-pound clash loaded with title implications and regional pride.
Nurmagomedov on point, Song ready for homecoming
Nurmagomedov, the former bantamweight title challenger carrying the family name and all the expectations that come with it, came in at 135.5 pounds, comfortably inside the non-title limit with the standard one-pound allowance. Song, China’s marquee contender and the man tasked with defending home soil, hit 136 pounds on the nose.
No drama. No delays. Just two elite bantamweights quietly confirming what everyone already knew: they’re ready to fight.
For Song, this is more than another main event. It’s a headline slot in Shanghai, a chance to plant his flag in front of a home crowd and push himself deeper into the title conversation. For Nurmagomedov, it’s an opportunity to reassert himself as a looming threat to the belt at 135 pounds, on foreign soil, in hostile territory. The stakes are obvious every time their names are mentioned together.
Strawweight contenders set for co-main collision
The co-main event carries its own weight in the title picture.
Yan Xiaonan, one of China’s most accomplished strawweights, hit 115.5 pounds, looking composed on the scale as she prepares for a pivotal showdown. Across from her, Denise Gomes checked in at 115 pounds even, matching Yan’s focus with her own quiet intensity.
Both sit within touching distance of a shot at strawweight gold. Both know a statement win in Shanghai, in front of a global audience on Paramount+, could be the performance that forces the matchmakers’ hands.
Action up and down the main card
The rest of the main card promises violence and variety across the divisions.
In another bantamweight firefight, Aoriqileng weighed in at 135.5 pounds for his clash with Kai Asakura, who had yet to register an official number at the time of the listed results. It’s a matchup built for pace and chaos, the kind of bout that often hijacks a main card and walks away with the bonus money.
At flyweight, Sumudaerji came in at 125 pounds for his meeting with Alex Perez, whose weight had not yet been confirmed in the early rundown. With Sumudaerji bringing local support and Perez bringing experience against top-tier opposition, that bout shapes up as a crucial test for both.
Light heavyweight power joins the party as Levi Rodrigues Jr. and Ce Liu both hit 206 pounds, right at the non-title limit. Two big men, no issues on the scale, and every sign that this one could end before the judges are needed.
The main card opens with another flyweight duel: Bilal Hasan at 124.5 pounds against Nilson Rojas, whose number was not yet listed. Hasan’s clean cut sets the stage for a fast-paced opener at 125 pounds, the kind of fight that can set the tone for the entire night.
Prelims loaded with prospects and local hopes
Shanghai won’t have to wait for the main card to find intrigue.
At flyweight, Rei Tsuruya and Kevin Borjas both hit 125 pounds, a tidy pairing that hints at a high-tempo battle between two hungry prospects. Another 125-pound bout sees Andre Lima and Namsrai Batbayar listed without confirmed weights in the early update, but their placement on the card underlines the promotion’s faith in the division’s next wave.
Bantamweight prospect Long Xiao weighed in at 135 pounds for his clash with Francesco Nuzzi, who came in at 136. It’s a classic stylistic and regional contrast: a local name trying to climb the ladder against a determined visitor who made full use of the one-pound allowance.
At featherweight, Jack Jenkins hit 145.5 pounds ahead of his meeting with Sean Woodson, whose number was not yet posted. Jenkins brings grit, Woodson brings length and rhythm; the scales suggest both will be fully fueled for a tactical, tricky matchup at 145.
Bantamweight action continues with Lawrence Lui at 135.5 pounds opposite Hector Santiago at 135. Both men made weight cleanly, both know that prelim slots like this can be springboards to bigger opportunities if they deliver when the lights come on.
In the women’s strawweight ranks, Jingnan Xiong and Julia Polastri were listed without confirmed figures in the early rundown, but their booking reinforces the depth building at 115 pounds, especially in a market where local stars can catch fire quickly.
Rounding out the prelims, welterweights Meng Ding and Cam Nelson both hit 170 pounds exactly. No excess, no drama. Just two fighters locked in at the limit, ready to close the early portion of the card with a clash that could turn into a brawl if either man decides to plant his feet and trade.
Shanghai set for a pivotal night
The scales have done their work. The numbers are in. The narratives are already writing themselves.
A surging Nurmagomedov walks into the heart of China to face a dangerous, battle-tested Song Yadong. Yan Xiaonan carries home expectations into a high-stakes co-main. Prospects and veterans scatter across the card, all chasing the same thing: momentum in one of the sport’s most competitive eras.
Shanghai Indoor Stadium will decide the rest.
