A key UFC bantamweight bout has received a new date, and elevation to top billing.
Ricky Simon (20-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) vs. Song Yadong (19-7-1 MMA, 8-2-1 UFC) was set as the co-headliner of UFC Fight Night 222 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas this Saturday, which airs on ESPN+.
The promotion announced Monday the bout has been moved and will now serve as the headliner of UFC Fight Night 223 at the same venue on April 29. With the bigger spotlight comes the addition of two rounds, making the bout a typical five-round headliner on ESPN+.
The original headliner for UFC Fight Night 223 was a lightweight bout between Renato Moicano and Arman Tsaruykan. However, after Moicano was forced out of the fight due to injury, and no replacement opponent was implemented to face Tsaruykan, the promotion needed a new main event.
Yadong, 25, will now compete in his second consecutive marquee bout, while Simon, 30, gets his first headlining opportunity.
The updated UFC Fight Night 223 lineup includes:
- Ricky Simon vs. Song Yadong
- Caio Borralho vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Marcos Rogerio
- Cody Brundage vs. Rodolfo Vieira
- Ange Loosa vs. Josh Quinlan
- Emily Ducote vs. Polyana Viana
- Natan Levy vs. Pete Rodriguez
- Brian Kelleher vs. Journey Newson
- Martin Buday vs. Jake Collier
- Cody Durden vs. Charles Johnson
- Julian Erosa vs. Fernando Padilla
- Hailey Cowan vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth
- Irina Alekseeva vs. Stephanie Egger
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 223.