UFC’s Zhang Weili provides the inspiration for Song Yadong – ‘I’m next,’ says rising Chinese star
- ‘Kung Fu Monkey’ says UFC’s first Chinese champion ‘showed me I can do it as well’ as he returns to face Cody Stamann
- ‘Before China didn’t have fighters who could fight like that – I want to show I can do the same’
Song Yadong was there among the faithful when Zhang “Magnum” Weili carved her name into history by winning the UFC’s strawweight title back in August.
The roar of approval from those watching inside the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Centre duly raised the roof from its rafters, but the man they call “The Kung Fu Monkey” took time instead to look around him, to soak up the atmosphere, and then to focus on one thought only.
“I said to myself, ‘Next time that will be me’,” reveals Song.
The rising bantamweight star (15-4) returns to the Octagon at UFC on ESPN 7 on December 7, ranked 13 in the world and facing his greatest challenge yet as he faces off against the ninth-ranked American Cody “Spartan” Stamann (18-2). Both fighters are being touted as possible contenders to the throne held by two-belt champ Henry “The Messenger” Cejudo (15-2).
But the 21-year-old Song says watching Zhang (20-1) and her victory – a 42-second devastation of Brazil’s Jessica Andrade (20-7) – simply furthered his conviction that a title is his destiny.