Song Yadong, Sodiq Yusuff and Terrance McKinney will put the UFC’s future on display

LAS VEGAS — Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event is a light heavyweight bout between onetime title challenger Thiago Santos and rising contender Magomed Ankalaev.

There is a lot of intrigue around this 205-pound matchup, as the division is wide open at the moment. Santos (22-9) is rebuilding from a rough stretch in 2020 and 2021, in which he went 0-3 and dealt with a serious knee injury. However, the Brazilian is back in the win column as he defeated Johnny Walker in October.

Ankalaev (16-1), meanwhile, is one of the hottest contenders in the division, having won seven in a row. Some call the Russian a future champion, but this is arguably his toughest test to date and his first appearance in a five-round fight.

Beyond Saturday’s headliner, however, there is a lot to watch out for on this main card. It’s packed with promising prospects who could reach a UFC title fight in the next several years. Here’s a closer look at three of the top names to keep an eye on this weekend, outside of the main event.

Song Yadong, bantamweight

Saturday’s opponent: Marlon Moraes

UFC career thus far: Song, 24, is the youngest of the three prospects highlighted here but has the most UFC experience by far. Fighting out of Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California, Song (18-5-1, 1 NC) made his UFC debut in 2017 at age 19. He already holds a UFC record of 7-1-1, and he has compiled that record against good competition. At the time of his fights against them, his opponents held a combined record of 129-35-4.

Song is No. 14 in the UFC’s 135-pound rankings. Saturday’s fight against the No. 10-ranked Moraes (23-9-1) could mark a point of no return. Moraes has lost his past three but still carries a lot of respect as a former WSOF champion and UFC title challenger. If Song wins, he’ll likely move into the top 10 and be looking at nothing but top-tier fights for the foreseeable future.