The UFC closed out its loaded February schedule on Saturday with a strong UFC Fight Night 252 card from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
After the entire prelims ended in finishes, the main event went the distance when Song Yadong (22-8-1 MMA, 11-3-1 UFC) earned a technical unanimous decision win over former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC).
For more on the numbers behind the headliners, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 252.
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Event stats
UFC Fight Night 252 marked the fourth event in company history with two or more predetermined catchweight bouts on the card. UFC 279, UFC Fight Night 183 and UFC 186 were the others.
The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $185,000.
Debuting fighters went 1-3 at the event.
Jean Silva, Ricky Simon, Alonzo Menifield and Julius Walker earned $50,000 UFC Fight Night 252 fight-night bonuses.
UFC Fight Night 252 drew an announced attendance of 18,287 for a live gate of $3,841,751.94.
Betting favorites went 8-4 on the card.
Betting favorites improved to 3-3 in UFC headliners this year.
Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 1:25:56.
Song Yadong def. Henry Cejudo
Yadong improved to 3-1 in UFC headliners.
Yadong has earned 10 of his 21 career victories by decision.
Cejudo’s three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since May 2020.
Cejudo has suffered four of his five career losses by decision.
Anthony Hernandez def. Brendan Allen
Anthony Hernandez’s (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) seven-fight UFC winning streak at middleweight is tied with Caio Borralho for the second-longest active streak in the division behind Dricus Du Plessis (nine).
Hernandez has complete 45 takedowns in UFC middleweight competition are the most in divisional history. Chris Weidman held the previous record with 43.
Brendan Allen (24-7 MMA, 12-4 UFC) has suffered four of his seven career losses by decision.
Rob Font def. Jean Matsumoto
Jean Matsumoto (16-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) had his 16-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.
Jean Silva def. Melsik Bagdasaryan
Silva (15-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has earned 14 of his 15 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished all four of his UFC wins by knockout.
Melsik Baghdasaryan (8-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has suffered all three of his career losses by stoppage.
Baghdasaryan suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
Alonzo Menifield def. Julius Walker
Walker (6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) had his six-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.
Ion Cutelaba def. Ibo Aslan
Ion Cutelaba (19-9-1 MMA, 8-8-1 UFC) has earned 16 of his 19 career victories by stoppage.
Cutelaba earned his first submission victory since
Ibo Aslan (14-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has suffered both of his career losses by submission.
Melquizael Costa def. Andre Fili
Melquizael Costa (22-7 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has earned two of his three UFC victories by stoppage.
Andre Fili (24-12 MMA, 12-11 UFC) suffered his first submission loss since Mar. 21, 2015 – a span of 3,626 days and 20 fights.
Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Nick Klein
Mansur Abdul-Malik (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned all eight of his career victories by stoppage.
Nick Klein (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered both of his career losses by stoppage.
Ricky Simon def. Javid Basharat
Simon (21-6 MMA, 9-5 UFC) snapped his three-fight losing skid for his first victory since July 2022.
Simon has landed 44 takedowns in UFC bantamweight competition, the second most in divisional history behind Merab Dvalishvili (79).
Javid Basharat (14-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 14-0 with one no contest.
Basharat suffered the first stoppage loss of his career with a knockout defeat.
Nursulton Ruziboev def. Eric McConinco
Nursulton Ruziboev (35-9-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has earned 33 of his 35 career victories by stoppage.
Eric McConico (9-3-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered all three of his career losses by knockout.
Modestas Bukauskas def. Rafael Cerqueira
Modestas Bukauskas (17-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) improved 4-1 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in February 2023.
Bukauskas has earned 13 of his 17 career victories by stoppage.
Rafael Cerqueira (11-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 11-0.
Cerqueira has suffered both of his career losses by knockout.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.
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