Eye poke brings UFC Seattle main event to scorecards two rounds early

Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong was shaping up to be a good fight, until an unceremonious ending disappointed the Seattle crowd at Climate Pledge Arena.

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 252 main event ended in controversy, as a Song (22-8-1 MMA, 11-3-1 UFC) eye poke mid-Round 3 led to Cejudo (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) telling his corner and commission officials he could not see.

Referee Jason Herzog called waved off the fight after an examination by the doctor, which meant the fight would go to the scorecards as more than half the fight was completed. Song defeated Cejudo via technical decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

The foul occurred with approximately 70 seconds left in Round 3. Cejudo had previously been kicked in the groin, only to be poked in both eyes as he closed in on Song.

Cejudo utilized all five minutes and even played to the crowd as he sat on the canvas. But after the action resumed and those 70 seconds expired, Cejudo repeatedly told coaches Eddie Cha and Santino Defranco in the corner that he could not see.

Herzog caught word of the issue from Cha and others. He set up the fight as if Round 4 would begin and then called the doctor in to examine (again). The fight was quickly waved off, much to the disappointment of everyone including Song, who crumpled to the canvas.

“I can’t f—ing see.”

Henry Cejudo in his corner before the fight was stopped. #UFCSeattle pic.twitter.com/5rZYGKQcEK

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 23, 2025

Cejudo-Song was stopped after the fourth round continued and was taken into decision after the three rounds due to eye pokes that rendered Cejudo unable to continue.

Song Yadong won by technical decision. #UFCSeattle pic.twitter.com/TzsouoAo6m

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 23, 2025

After the fight, Song offered a rematch to Cejudo but the record books show the fight as a victory for him. He’s now won three of his most recent four outings. Conversely, Cejudo falls into a three-fight skid.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 252 results include:

• Song Yadong def. Henry Cejudo via technical decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Anthony Hernandez def. Brendan Allen via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Rob Font def. Jean Matsumoto via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Jean Silva def. Melsik Baghdasaryan via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:15
• Alonzo Menifield def. Julius Walker via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)
• Ion Cutelaba def. Ibo Aslan via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:51
• Melquizael Costa def. Andre Fili via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 4:30
• Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Nick Klein via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:24
• Ricky Simon def. Javid Basharat via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:58
• Austin Vanderford def. Nikolay Veretennikov via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:13
• Nursulton Ruziboev def. Eric McConico via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 0:33
• Modestas Bukauskas def. Rafael Cerqueira via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:12

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.