Marlon Vera vs Song Yadong — Fight recap

Song Yadong defeated Marlon Vera by unanimous decision over three rounds on May 16, 2020, in a bantamweight clash that saw the Chinese fighter's volume striking overcome Vera's grappling efficiency. Yadong landed 101 significant strikes on 50% accuracy across 201 total strikes, while Vera connected on 92 of 164 significant strikes at 56% but was unable to leverage his wrestling advantage into lasting control—securing just 3:15 of mat time despite landing two takedowns.

Vera's striking distribution showed precision, particularly with leg kicks (22 of 26) and body work (29 of 40), yet Yadong's relentless head strike volume (79 of 173) and cage control proved decisive with the judges. Neither fighter scored knockdowns, and the fight remained standing-heavy despite Vera's wrestling attempts.

The decision positioned Yadong as a rising threat in the division while signaling Vera needed adjustments to his game plan against high-output strikers.