What we have seen over the past 12 months is more progress in the evolution of Song, as the Harbin-born prospect continues to hone his craft – as much as his mind – at Sacramento’s Team Alpha Male gym.

“I just want to be the best version of myself,” says Song. “I’ve needed to make some minor changes because this guy is also a southpaw and I want to win this fight and to close this year off. He’s also got a heavy stand-up background so we’ll stand up, go toe to toe, and I’ll improvise when I can, to keep him guessing.”

That Song has been able to remain focused so far from home, and with no sign yet of when he might be able to return to China given ongoing pandemic protocols, speaks volumes for his growth, simply as a human being. Song has a young son, who’s not yet met his grandparents, and it’s been nearly two years since his own last trip to his homeland, but the take he has on the situation seems both simple and effective.

“If you think things are hard, then they are hard,” Song explains of his mindset. “But if you’re thinking is that things are OK then they are OK.”

The fight style promised by the 32-year-old Arce suggests this fight inside the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas could be a cracker. The New York City native fought his way to a Golden Gloves boxing title as a 22-year-old, and though he likes to stress how well-rounded he has become as an MMA fighter, a quick chat this week reveals he is under no illusions when it comes to how this fight is likely to play out.

“He’s got a lot of hype behind him. He’s a big name – and he’s the next person in front of me that I have to get through,” says Arce. “He’s much younger, he’s explosive but he’s still human. We’ll stand there and we’ll see what he’s got. This fight is going to be a banger.”

Last time out, at UFC 265 in August, Song spent fight week telling anyone who wanted to listen that he had been working hard on his ground game with the team at Team Alpha Male and that he was ready to get down and dirty with American Casey Kenney (16-4).

It was all a bluff.

Song stuffed a few takedown attempts – then weathered a tricky final 10 seconds or so when Kenney finally brought him down – but mostly the fight was all about the two fighters swinging at each other, with intent, before Song took a split decision.

“Everybody asked me [about his ground game] like you asked those questions, too,” laughs Song. “So I just gave you all a different answer for a change. But I feel like my stand up is good, so I don’t have to show my wrestling, I don’t have to show my grappling. If someone takes me down like then, yeah, then you guys are gonna see my grappling but I don’t feel that it’s necessary if I can just finish him or I can just stand up in there and bang.”

Song is currently ranked 15 among the UFC’s bantamweights, no small achievement in itself given his age, and his record since joining the Las Vegas-based promotion is 6-1-1. Though he is been away from home for some time, there’s still a buzz building in China about his progress – not least among the kids at the Enbo Fight Club in Chengdu where Song started out – a club famed for its programme of taking in orphaned and disadvantaged kids and giving their lives a foundation based on martial arts.

“Yeah, I’m in touch with a lot of them,” says Song. “I have a really good relationship with a lot of them. They’ve been improving a lot as well and, yeah, I feel like I’ve been a role model for them and I’ve been giving them advice about what goes into training, even advice about weight cut too, and sometimes we just talk about life.”

Song says he wants to show these kids that sport can change your life, if you’re prepared to put in the work- and his own life is set up as an example of how, given the sacrifices he has made, and the progress.

“I feel like my hands are getting better and I’ve been making a lot of the details a lot better,” he says. “Now I have to win this fight, and then next year I want to win my way into the top 10.”