On March 7, Beijing time, UFC259 will open in Las Vegas, usa, "Black Dragon" Isrell Adisaya, light heavyweight champion Jan Blačovich, "Lioness" Amanda Nunez and many other champions will enter the octagonal cage, and many Chinese boxing fans will focus on the "kung fu monkey" Song Yadong.
If he can beat American rising star Keller Phillips, Song Yadong can break the longest unbeaten record for An asian player held by South Korea's Kim Dong-hyun. Although Song Yadong has not been defeated since landing at the UFC in November 2017, he does not believe that victory is within reach. Alpha boy band founder and coach "California Kid" Uriah Fibo once warned him:
Regardless of your previous results, the moment you stand in the ring, your winning percentage with your opponent is 50% vs. 50%. You must gradually exert your own advantages, and then gradually improve your winning rate, 60%, 70%, 80%, and gradually eat others. Usually before the game, I always assume that I have a 50% winning percentage, but this time, I am 60-70% sure.
Keller Phillips, 25, signed with the UFC in February last year and has since won two consecutive victories, rewriting his career record to 8 wins and 1 loss, including 5 KO wins and 1 surrender win, and is currently in the state of a career 3 consecutive wins.
In contrast, the 23-year-old Song Yadong is more experienced, with a professional record of 16 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw and 1 no result, including 6 KO, 3 demotion wins, maintaining a 6-game unbeaten record in the UFC, and entering the official ranking of the chickweight, currently in 14th place.
Song Yadong was generally optimistic about foreign media before the game, and he himself believes that his state is better.
In the past, every time I finished a game, I would go back to China to adjust, training in the country was not very systematic, plus eating, drinking and socializing, the state would be affected to a certain extent, but before this game I have been preparing in the United States, and the state remains good. Phillips's footwork is good, the standing technique belongs to the wandering type, a bit like karate, the movement is more sudden, and he will use cold moves such as flying knees. His wrestling is very good, his finishing percentage is high, and he is a boxer with great potential. I prefer to end the fight while standing.
Song Yadong's last two games have not been ideal. In the match against Cody Starman, he was given a penalty of 1 point and the match was judged to be a draw. Last May's match with Malone Villa was only two weeks old, Song Yadong did not adjust to the best state in terms of physical fitness and technical status, the advantage was not obvious, the third leg was somewhat negative, and Villa had a big opinion after the game. After two games, Song Yadong needs not only a victory, but also a convincing victory.
Playing a game is like this, the more you play back, the stronger the opponent, the game will be restricted a lot of play, different opponents give you different pressure is also different. My general tactic is to go all out at the beginning, take the first two legs, play to my advantage, and the third round as long as you can hold on, so the pressure is not so great.
Despite his imperfect performance in the last two matches, Song Yadong has gone unbeaten in six games in the octagon cage, winning five victories and winning four bonuses, and has become a fighting star, often recognized by local boxing fans when visiting malls and supermarkets in the United States.
The boxing fans here are not particularly crazy, and they will not bother you, but will have a brief chat with you.
Since defeating Marlon Villa, Song Yadong has not appeared in the ring for 10 months, and these 10 months have been very difficult for Song Yadong. He suffered two withdrawals from his opponents, and the burden of life became heavier and heavier. When talking about this, the young Song Yadong had a hint of helplessness in his tone.
This time my opponent did not rank, and I am sorry. I only played one game last year. There was still a match in October, but the opponent was injured. In December, I prepared to fight again, but I didn't fight again. The situation of the opponent's withdrawal from the competition is the last thing athletes want to see, and it is particularly painful. I was in a hurry, after all, I had to support my family and didn't want to wait any longer. I need to play more games, I want to make more money, and after this game I look forward to scheduling the next one as soon as possible. This year I set myself the goal of breaking into the top ten!
Because he had to prepare for the game, Song Yadong stayed in the United States and spent the Spring Festival in the training hall. Song Yadong left home alone to practice martial arts at the age of fourteen or fifteen, and seven or eight of the ten years were spent outside for the New Year. For him, spending time with his family is the best way to celebrate the New Year. He used the words "kind, gentle, and virtuous" to describe his lover, and when he talked about his son, he was even more proud - "My son is becoming more and more sensible and will comfort others." ”
There are not many Chinese in this city, and I don't feel the atmosphere of the New Year. Have a meal with a few friends during the Spring Festival. I was also training on New Year's Day, because I didn't want to rest too long and wanted to play. The United States is actually quite boring, and there are limited ways to relax after training, skiing in winter, swimming in summer, and playing tennis. I used to like to go to the beach, but now I can't do it because of the epidemic.
Because of Song Yadong, after the Chinese forces fought in the United States, many of them would go to the Alpha Boy Band for training. Li Jingliang, Yan Xiaonan and Sumudalji all came to the Alpha Boy Band to study. Sumudalji even lived directly in Song Yadong's house, and Song Yadong invited him to eat the hot pot he wanted and took him to skiing. Chinese forces take care of each other overseas, and for a while it became a beautiful talk.
The last time Li Jingliang came to the United States to play a game, he met an opponent and also withdrew, he stayed in the United States to continue training and wait, the performance was particularly positive and optimistic, and he was particularly confident, ninety percent of boxing fans were not optimistic about him, he still believed in himself 100%, this quality of will is worth learning!
Although he has played 22 games, Song Yadong admits that he is still nervous every time he goes to the ring.
I'm still a little nervous before I go on stage because I want to win. I would tell myself, don't think too much, just go up there and do it. You've trained hard! Before this competition, Fibo also told me that after preparing for such a long time, as long as I do a good job, I have no problem!
After a long wait of 10 months, the spotlight will finally hit Song Yadong again this weekend, and the "Kung Fu Monkey" will hit the new record of undefeated Asian boxers in an iron cage. China power, come on!