Dana White bluntly refusing to book Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong rematch in future earns Sean O'Malley a callout

UFC CEO Dana White has decisively ruled out a rematch between former two-division champion Henry Cejudo and bantamweight contender Song Yadong, stirring a fresh callout for former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley.

At UFC Seattle, the headline-grabbing bout at Climate Pledge Arena culminated in a technical decision that left fans and fighters questioning what comes next.

From the opening bell, Cejudo set a fast pace, employing sharp leg kicks and aggressive striking to challenge his opponent. Yet, Yadong gradually found his rhythm in the second and third rounds, countering with well-timed takedown defenses and heavy, precise strikes.

The match took an unexpected turn in the third round when Yadong accidentally delivered a double eye-poke. The inadvertent blow left Cejudo unable to see out of his left eye, forcing him to plead with referee Jason Herzog to penalize Yadong.

With no adjustment to the score, the bout was halted after Cejudo was unable to see despite taking a full five-minute break to recover. Ultimately, Yadong was awarded a technical decision victory.

Immediately following the stoppage, both fighters expressed the desire to settle the controversy with a rematch, claiming that the fight ended prematurely. However, in a clear and unyielding stance, Dana White dismissed any plans for a second bout:

“Not at all, not even a little bit, I just don’t want to see it again…you want to see it again? We should probably do it in a couple of months?.”

Check out Dana White's comment below:

In a swift response, Yadong redirected the spotlight by issuing a challenge to former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley:

“My goal is the world champion, so whatever UFC gives me, I want to fight the guys who are ranked above me, If not Henry, give me [Sean] O’Malley. I can fight any time.”

Check out Song Yadong's response below: