UFC 239: Chinese phenom Song Yadong knocks Alejandro Perez out cold on emphatic US debut

China’s “Kung Fu Monkey” Song Yadong announced himself on the big stage with a first-round knockout of Alejandro Perez at UFC 239 in Las Vegas.

The 21-year-old (14-3, two no contests) Team Alpha Male member was given a chance to impress and didn’t disappoint on his US debut, pulling out a highlight reel KO. He is the second youngest fighter in the UFC, and is now only the second bantamweight in UFC history with a first-round knockout at 21 or younger.

“This knockout, I didn’t plan it. I’ve been training this movement, but I was planning to fight three full rounds,” Song told media backstage through his coach and translator. “I think the knockout is just the result of my hard training. The chance was there, it just happened naturally. “My second UFC fight in Singapore, the elbow knockout was particularly awesome. I will be working towards the belt. I don’t know when it will happen but I’ll be working hard, waiting for the chance to happen.”

After the fight, Song told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto he is hoping to get on the UFC Shenzhen card on August 31, which will be headlined by Zhang Weili’s bid to become the first Chinese champion in the UFC when she takes on strawweight titlist Jessica Andrade.

Song is now on a seven-fight win streak, and 4-0 in the UFC with three finishes, after helping take Chinese-born fighters to an overall 15-6 UFC record since the start of 2018.

Fans were already on their feet at the T-Mobile Arena when Song walked out to “Kung Fu Fighting” by Carl Douglas to start the ESPN preliminary bouts. But his picture-perfect overhand right dropped Mexico’s Perez and signalled the arrival of another potential Chinese champion after an impressive US debut.