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- What: UFC Seattle Main Event
- Who: Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong
- Date: Saturday, February 22, 2025
- Location: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington
- Time: Prelims (6:00 p.m. ET), Main Card (9:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: ESPN+
The UFC returns to Seattle for the first time since 2013 for a UFC Fight Night card on Saturday, February 22. The main event of the UFC Seattle card sees former two-division UFC Champion Henry Cejudo pitted against Song Yadong in a pivotal bantamweight bout. Cejudo is currently the No. 7 ranked fighter in the official UFC bantamweight rankings, while Song checks in at No. 8 in the 135-pound division. Here is some background on the fighters before we dive into the betting breakdown for the UFC Seattle main event.
Henry Cejudo (16-4) held the UFC flyweight and bantamweight titles before retiring from the UFC in May 2020. The 37-year-old Cejudo ended his retirement in May 2023 with a decision loss to then UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. In his most recent outing, which took place in February 2024, Cejudo dropped a decision to Merab Dvalishvili, who went on to win the UFC bantamweight title.
Song Yadong (21-8-1-1) has been with the UFC since 2017. The 27-year-old is 5-2 since August 2021 with three knockout wins and two decision victories. He has a TKO (doctor stoppage) loss to Corey Sandhagen in 2022 and is coming off a decision setback to former UFC champion Petr Yan in March 2024.
Before we look at the best bets for Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong on the UFC Seattle card, check out the best UFC betting sites and where you can find the best odds on all the UFC fights.
UFC Seattle Main Event betting picks: Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong
| Fighters |  |  |  |
| Henry Cejudo | +205 | +200 | +188 |
| Yadong Song | -240 | -240 | -248 |
UFC Seattle betting breakdown: Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo is an incredibly talented competitor. Before he joined the UFC, Cejudo won an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. With that background, it’s no surprise that Cejudo’s main focus is wrestling and ground control. The issue facing Cejudo in 2025 is the same one he faced when he ended his retirement. Did he waste the best years of his UFC career in retirement? With an 0-2 record since returning to the Octagon, that’s a fair question to ask, and one that Cejudo needs to answer with a win on Seattle if he hopes to even be considered for another UFC title fight.
Cejudo might be a wrestler first, but he has solid striking, and he’s not afraid to use those skills inside the cage. He uses his striking to set up his wrestling, but he’ll also rely on his striking if he feels he is the better fighter in that department. To that end, Cejudo had three straight knockout wins in UFC title fights before his retirement. On the downside, Cejudo’s two opponents since he came out of retirement have both outlanded him in striking and scored more takedowns than the Olympic gold medalist.
Cejudo gives up four inches in height and three inches in reach in this fight.
Cejudo averages 3.77 significant strikes landed per minute with an accuracy of 46 percent. His striking defense is 60 percent, and he absorbs an average of 3.29 significant strikes per minute. The ex-champ picks up an average of 1.99 takedowns per 15 minutes with an accuracy of 32 percent. His takedown defense is 75 percent.
UFC Seattle betting breakdown: Song Yadong
Song Yadong is a striker. Of his 21 career wins, nine have come by knockout, nine by decision, and three via submission. He is incredibly resilient and has never been knocked down in a UFC contest. His only TKO loss came to Corey Sandhagen. That stoppage was due to the doctor waving off the fight because of a cut.
Song is a technical striker with good footwork and movement. He throws almost all his strikes with 100 percent power, which means he sometimes overextends himself and puts himself in bad defensive positions. He has to remove that tendency against a wrestler who can score a takedown with the smallest opening, in Cejudo. Even when he doesn’t miss with his power, Song tends to plant his feet when he throws his punches, and that could leave him susceptible to a level-change against Cejudo. The positive for Song is that he has a reach advantage, so it will be a risk for Cejudo to move in when Song throws his heavy punches. Song also has strong takedown defense.
Song lands 4.49 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy of 43 percent. He absorbs 3.96 significant strikes per minute with a striking defense of 55 percent. Song lands 0.66 takedowns per 15 minutes with an accuracy of 40 percent. His takedown defense is 72 percent.
Best Bets: UFC Seattle Main Event betting picks: Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong
This will be a telling fight for both Cejudo and Song. A win and they stay inside the top 10 of the bantamweight division and take a step closer to a title fight. Meanwhile, the loser is likely to slip outside the top 10 of the division. Song has the power and skill to finish this fight, but Cejudo is the better overall fighter, and his wrestling will serve him well when Song opens himself for takedowns.
The betting pick is for Henry Cejudo to defeat Song Yadong at UFC Seattle via decision.
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