Track Yadong will get one other probability at UFC Seattle this weekend.
He’s taking on the ever-popular Henry Cejudo this weekend and is in search of his third shot on the high of the divison. Track has come up brief just a few occasions when he’s stepped up. This weekend, he appears to be like to make a distinction.
Yadong has notched some nice wins however lacks that marquee win that championship contenders normally have. He’s had possibilities: Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen. Can the Chinese language contender lastly recover from the hump?
The primary stumble: Cory Sandhagen
Cory Sandhagen is a difficult battle for anybody, even Umar Nurmagomedov. After Track Yadong defeated Marlon Moraes, followers and the UFC brass weren’t satisfied he was prepared simply but. So that they handed him “The Sandman.”
The duty was a tricky one and Track needed to rise to the event. Whereas he did battle effectively, the bout was usually all Sandhagen and finally resulted in spherical 4 after Sandhagen reduce open Track Yadong fairly gnarly.
One win away from a title shot at 135 and Track got here up brief. However he would attempt his finest to bounce again.
Track Yadong rising once more
It might be two wins earlier than Track Yadong had one other of these pictures. He took on Ricky Simon in a foremost occasion again in April of 2023. Track would placed on a clinic. Finally, he felled Simon in spherical 5 and proved that the Sandhagen loss wouldn’t have an effect on him. He additionally proved that 5 rounds wouldn’t be an issue.
So he had one other alternative: a foremost occasion towards Chris Gutierrez. Gutierrez is a irritating fighter to tackle and Yadong acquired the victory regardless of Guiterrez’ finest efforts. Lastly was Petr Yan, the previous bantamweight champion. This was Track’s subsequent alternative.
The battle was a 3 rounder at UFC 299. This performed into Track Yadong’s arms. Yan is a gradual starter. However Track would stumble but once more. Yan can be handed the choice victory.
Now he faces Cejudo, an ideal of the game. Whereas it doesn’t carry the burden it as soon as did, a win over “Triple C” can be an ideal notch within the belt for China’s bantamweight sensation. Track is a enjoyable motion fighter and Cejudo is 38 and using two losses. These losses are to Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili. In hindsight that doesn’t look so dangerous.
Track Yadong must step as much as the plate and snag the win this weekend. At 27, Father Time is starting to lurk. He will get an excessive amount of older and he might see age defeat him as soon as and for all and what a tragedy that will be.