Kenan Song Record: 22-9-0

UFC career

Song made an unforgettable Octagon debut in November 2017, knocking out Bobby Nash with punches in the first round in front of a home crowd in Shanghai. He followed with a second-round TKO of unbeaten prospect Hector Aldana in June 2018, before running into a unanimous-decision loss to the durable Alex Morono that November. Song rebounded with a decision over veteran Derrick Krantz in 2019 and a first-round knockout of Callan Potter in February 2020. The competition stiffened from there: Max Griffin knocked him out in March 2021, and rising star Ian Machado Garry stopped him in the third round at UFC 285 in March 2023. Song answered with a unanimous-decision win over Rolando Bedoya in August 2023, then traded results – a decision loss to Kevin Jousset, a decision win over veteran Ricky Glenn at UFC 305 in August 2024, and a first-round knockout loss to Muslim Salikhov in November 2024.

Fighting style

Song is a true dual threat, with his 22 professional wins split almost evenly between nine knockouts and nine submissions for an 82% finish rate. His Sanda roots give him crisp, powerful striking, while his grappling – built on chokes and armbars from his early career – makes him dangerous on the mat as well. That versatility forces opponents to respect every phase of the fight. The flip side is durability: all five of his career losses have come by knockout, suggesting that his aggressive, come-forward style can leave him exposed against elite strikers. At his best, Song is a finisher capable of ending a fight on the feet or on the ground.

Career highlights

• Explosive UFC debut — knocked out Bobby Nash in the first round in Shanghai in 2017, an emphatic introduction in front of a home crowd.
• Balanced finisher — owns nine knockouts and nine submissions among his 22 wins, an 82% finish rate that reflects genuine versatility.
• Chinese MMA standout — a Sanda-based striker from Tangshan, he became one of the most accomplished welterweights to come out of China's MMA scene.