This weekend marks Song’s third appearance of 2026 and an opportunity to earn consecutive victories after starting the year with a decision loss to “Suga” Sean O’Malley in January. Last time out, Song dominated former flyweight titleholder Deiveson Figueiredo in Macau, once again clamping onto a guillotine choke to secure the finish and setting up this matchup with the highly regarded Nurmagomedov.

“(One week after my last fight), UFC called me to fight Umar and I said, ‘Yes’ because this is big opportunity for me,” he said. “(If I) win this fight, I will get a title shot, so I feel good, I feel in shape… This year, I feel very healthy, mentally and physically. I improved a lot. I have my new coach, my new nutritionist, and my psychologist, so that’s why I fight that much this year.”

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Even with his increased activity this year, Song reinvested in himself and his craft between contests.

Shortly after his win over Figueiredo in Macau, he traveled to Georgia to train alongside three-time world champion wrestler and 2024 Olympic gold medalist Geno Petriashvili before returning to his adopted home of Sacramento to kick off his training camp at Team Alpha Male.