UFC Fight Night 210: Sandhagen vs. Song | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Conor McBragger
- May 22
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 210: Sandhagen vs. Song took place on September 17, 2022 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — UFC Vegas 60. The main event was a bantamweight top-10 contest between No. 4-ranked Cory Sandhagen and No. 10-ranked Song Yadong, a rematch in the sense that both fighters were seeking to re-establish themselves after recent setbacks.
Sandhagen won by TKO via doctor’s stoppage at the end of round four after opening a terrible gash over Song’s left eye with a standing upward elbow in round two. Song showed tremendous toughness and heart, continuing through the damage, but the attending physician could not allow the fight to proceed. It was Sandhagen’s first win in 19 months after back-to-back losses to Petr Yan and T.J. Dillashaw.
Contents
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, September 17, 2022
📍 Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, USA (UFC Vegas 60)
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ (UFC on ESPN+ 68)
🏆 Main Event: Cory Sandhagen vs. Song Yadong — Bantamweight (5 rounds)
✅ Result: Cory Sandhagen def. Song Yadong via TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage) (Round 4, 5:00)
⭐ Notable: Sandhagen’s first win in 19 months | Nasty elbow-opened cut stopped fight | Gillian Robertson sets women’s UFC submission record | Gregory Rodrigues KO of Njokuani = FotN
The Build-Up
Cory Sandhagen entered FN 210 in the most difficult stretch of his career. He had lost back-to-back fights — to Petr Yan in October 2021 (a decision) and to T.J. Dillashaw in May 2021 (another decision) — marking the first consecutive losses of his professional career. He had not fought in 19 months. Returning against the hard-hitting Song Yadong was his chance to re-establish himself as a genuine title contender at bantamweight.
Song Yadong had come off a PoN-winning KO of Marlon Moraes at FN 203 and was ranked 10th in the division. With a first-round KO reputation and power across all ranges, he was a legitimate test for a returning Sandhagen.
Main Event: Sandhagen vs. Song
The fight was closely competitive. Song wobbled Sandhagen in round two and arguably landed the harder shots in round one. But midway through round two, Sandhagen landed a sharp standing upward elbow that opened a deep, ugly gash above Song’s left eye. The ringside doctor checked the cut after rounds two and three, each time permitting Song to continue over his objections.
The gash widened through round four and Song’s left eye began to swell shut. After the bell ended round four, the doctor informed referee Herb Dean that he could not allow the fight to continue. Sandhagen was declared the winner by TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at 5:00 of round four — an emotional win he delivered with mixed feelings. “I hate that it ended that way,” he said post-fight. “He deserved a fifth round.”
Co-Main & Undercard Highlights
Gregory Rodrigues knocked out Chidi Njokuani at 1:27 of round two in the co-main event, claiming the Fight of the Night bonus. Njokuani had himself earned a PoN with a spinning elbow KO at FN 206 earlier in the year; the reversal here was a statement from the Brazilian.
Joe Pyfer knocked out Alen Amedovski at 3:55 of round one — a debut performance that earned a Performance of the Night bonus. Damon Jackson stopped Pat Sabatini via verbal submission (punches) at 1:09 of round one on the prelims, earning the other PoN. Gillian Robertson’s submission of Mariya Agapova extended her record as the all-time leader in UFC submission wins by a female fighter.
Full Results
Main Card
Cory Sandhagen def. Song Yadong — TKO (Doctor’s Stoppage) (Round 4, 5:00) | Elbow-opened cut forced stoppage | Sandhagen’s first win in 19 months
Gregory Rodrigues def. Chidi Njokuani — KO (Punches) (Round 2, 1:27) — Fight of the Night
Andre Fili def. Bill Algeo — Decision (Split) (Round 3, 5:00) | 28-29, 29-28, 29-28
Joe Pyfer def. Alen Amedovski — KO (Punch) (Round 1, 3:55) — Performance of the Night
Rodrigo Nascimento def. Tanner Boser — Decision (Split) (Round 3, 5:00) | 27-30, 29-28, 28-29
Anthony Hernandez def. Marc-Andre Barriault — Tech Submission (Arm-Triangle) (Round 3, 1:53)
Preliminary Card
Damon Jackson def. Pat Sabatini — KO (Verbal Submission/Punches) (Round 1, 1:09) — Performance of the Night
Gillian Robertson def. Mariya Agapova — Tech Submission (RNC) (Round 2, 2:19) | Robertson extends all-time women’s UFC submission record
Nikolas Motta def. Cameron VanCamp — KO (Round 1, 3:49)
Javid Basharat def. Tony Gravely — UD R3; Trevin Giles def. Louis Cosce — UD R3; Denise Gomes def. Loma Lookboonmee — UD R3; Trey Ogden def. Daniel Zellhuber — UD R3 — Further Prelims
Bonuses & Awards
🥊 Fight of the Night: Gregory Rodrigues vs. Chidi Njokuani ($50,000 each)
🏆 Performance of the Night: Joe Pyfer ($50,000) — KO of Alen Amedovski R1, 3:55
🏆 Performance of the Night: Damon Jackson ($50,000) — KO (verbal submission) of Pat Sabatini R1, 1:09
Records & Milestones
🥊 Post-event facts highlighted Gillian Robertson’s submission of Mariya Agapova as taking her “submission record to new heights” — extending her status as the all-time leader in submission finishes by a female UFC fighter.
🥊 Sandhagen’s win was his first in 19 months, and his first since the first consecutive losses of his professional career. The comeback was notable for its strategic brilliance — specifically his use of elbows to open cuts that disrupted Song’s rhythm and caused structural damage.
🥊 Song Yadong’s toughness in continuing through the cut damage was widely praised. He was eventually stopped only by the ringside physician, not Sandhagen himself — a reflection of his competitive spirit.
Legacy & Impact
UFC Fight Night 210 is primarily remembered for Sandhagen’s tactical brilliance in defeating Song through attrition and technical striking — specifically using elbow work to create a fight-ending injury without landing a knockout blow. The result re-established him as one of the top two or three bantamweight contenders in the division.
The card also introduced Joe Pyfer as a name to watch at middleweight and continued Gillian Robertson’s remarkable run of submission wins, keeping her at the top of the all-time women’s UFC submission record chart.
FAQ
Why was the fight stopped by a doctor rather than the referee?
A standing upward elbow from Sandhagen in round two opened a deep cut over Song Yadong’s left eye. The ringside physician checked the wound after rounds two and three, permitting Song to continue each time. By the end of round four, the gash had widened and Song’s eye was swelling shut. The doctor informed referee Herb Dean that the damage was too severe to permit a fifth round, making this a TKO via doctor’s stoppage.
How does a doctor’s stoppage affect the official record?
A TKO via doctor’s stoppage counts the same as a regular TKO in a fighter’s official record. Sandhagen received the win, and Song received the loss. The stoppage typically occurs between rounds at the ringside physician’s discretion based on the severity of a cut or other medical concern.
What record did Gillian Robertson set?
Robertson extended her record for the most submission finishes by a female fighter in UFC history. The Canadian flyweight had built a reputation as one of the most technically skilled submission grapplers in the women’s divisions, and her RNC of Mariya Agapova was another addition to a record that post-event facts described as reaching ‘new heights.’
Who is Joe Pyfer?
Joe Pyfer is an American middleweight known for his explosive punching power. His FN 210 KO of Alen Amedovski at 3:55 of round one earned a Performance of the Night bonus and established him as one of the more promising heavy-handed newcomers in the 185-lb division. He went on to build a strong early UFC record.
What was Sandhagen’s strategic approach at FN 210?
Sandhagen used wrestling to disrupt Song’s rhythm and misdirect his focus, which opened up his striking game. A key component was his use of standing elbows to create the cut that ultimately stopped the fight. Rather than seeking a knockout blow directly, he exploited Song’s eye injury to accumulate the kind of structural damage that forced the ringside physician to intervene.
References
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