UFC Fight Night: Song vs Figueiredo Could Be the Best Fight Card of May. Here’s Why.
The UFC heads to Macau on Friday night for one of the more underrated fight cards of the year. UFC Fight Night 277, also known as Song vs Figueiredo, goes off at the Galaxy Arena. The main event is a bantamweight clash between fifth-ranked Song Yadong and former two-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
This is the kind of fight that does not get the marketing push of a pay-per-view but might end up being the most entertaining 25 minutes of MMA in May.
The Main Event Stylistically
Song Yadong is the home-region favorite. He is 28, fights out of China, and has been knocking on the title-shot door for two years. He is a sharp striker with one of the best jabs in the bantamweight division. His footwork has improved every year. He is the more active fighter in the cage and the more accurate puncher.
Figueiredo is the former two-time flyweight champion who moved up to bantamweight in 2023. He has fought everyone. He has beaten Cody Garbrandt, Brandon Moreno (twice), and Rob Font. He lost to Petr Yan and Umar Nurmagomedov, both via decision. He has elite submission skills, fast hands, and the kind of fight IQ that comes from 30-plus pro bouts.
Song is the favorite at -600 on DraftKings. Figueiredo is +440. That is a massive gap.
Why the Underdog Has Real Value
Figueiredo at +440 is the bet of the night for the underdog hunters. He has been here before. He fights bigger guys all the time at 135. His takedowns are still elite. His submission game is the best in the bantamweight top 10.
If Figueiredo can drag this fight to the ground in the first round, he wins more often than the odds suggest. Song’s takedown defense has been good but not great. Figueiredo has finished four of his last seven by submission.
The volume game favors Song. The wrestling game favors Figueiredo. The fight will probably be decided in the second round when both fighters know which version of the fight they are in.
The Rest of the Card
The co-main is a heavyweight fight between Tai Tuivasa and Marcin Tybura. That one is a coin flip with finish potential. Tuivasa is the bigger puncher. Tybura is the better wrestler. Whichever guy wins probably gets a top-10 fight next.
The main card also features a flyweight scrap between Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira that could decide the next title challenger. Taira is the rising star. Royval is the gatekeeper. The winner is one step from a shot at Alexandre Pantoja.
The prelims have three bouts that could be fight of the night. The card is deeper than the main event suggests.
The Verdict
Song probably wins. The favorite at -600 is the favorite for a reason. The home crowd will be loud, the volume will be high, and Song will outpoint Figueiredo over five rounds.
But this is a fight where the underdog has live equity. Figueiredo has been counted out before and made fools of bookmakers. If this goes to the ground in the second, watch for a submission. If it stays on the feet, Song coasts.
The card starts at 4 a.m. ET. The main event will be on around 7 a.m. ET. Set the alarm if you care about bantamweight. This is the kind of fight night that gets remembered.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
