The UFC’s bantamweight division gets the spotlight during a time when the search for a new contender is underway. Before champion Aljamain Sterling defends the belt against Henry Cejudo at UFC 288, Song Yadong faces Ricky Simon on April 29.
UFC Vegas 72 takes place inside the APEX Center in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN+ in the U.S. The original main event, Arman Tsarukyan vs. Renato Moicano, was scrapped after Moicano backed out due to injury.
Yadong turned pro in 2013 and joined the UFC in 2017. He is 8-2-1 with the promotion and is 3-2 in his last five bouts. The fighter from China's three-fight win streak ended in September against Cory Sandhagen via TKO.
Simon turned pro in 2014 and joined the UFC in 2018. The former LFA bantamweight champion is 8-2 with the promotion and is on a five-fight win streak. His last fight was a submission win in July against Jack Shore.
MORE: Sign up to watch UFC Vegas 72: Yadong vs. Simon on ESPN+
Yadong ranks eighth in the UFC's bantamweight rankings, while Simon ranks tenth. A win for either could result in a ranking close to the top five, depending on the outcome of their bout.
Here is all you need to know about UFC Vegas 72, from the start time, channel, odds, fight card, and more.
When is UFC Vegas 72: Yadong vs. Simon?
- Date: Saturday, April 29 | Sunday, April 30
- Prelims: 4 p.m. ET | 9 p.m. BST | 6 a.m. AEST
- Main card: 7 p.m ET | 12 a.m. BST | 9 a.m. AEST
- Main event: 10 p.m. ET | 3 a.m. BST | 12 p.m. AEST (approx.)
UFC Vegas 72 takes place on April 29. The prelims start at 4 p.m. ET | 9 p.m. BST | 6 a.m. AEST, followed by the main card at 7 p.m ET | 12 a.m. BST | 9 a.m. AEST. Yadong and Simon should enter the octagon around 10 p.m. ET | 3 a.m. BST | 12 p.m. AEST, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
MORE: Jon Jones is the undisputed G.O.A.T.
How to watch UFC Vegas 72: Yadong vs. Simon
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Sat. April 29 | ESPN+ |
| United Kingdom | Sun. April 30 | BT Sport |
| Australia | Sun. April 30 | Kayo |
The prelims and main card for UFC Vegas 72 will be available on the ESPN+ streaming service.
Yadong vs. Simon price: How much does UFC Vegas 72 cost?
You can pay $9.99 for a monthly subscription to ESPN+ or buy an annual subscription for $99.99.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $12.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
MORE: Sign up to watch UFC Vegas 72: Yadong vs. Simon on ESPN+
Where is UFC Vegas 72: Song Yadong vs. Ricky Simon?
UFC Vegas 72 is inside the UFC's APEX Center in Las Vegas.
Song Yadong vs. Ricky Simon betting odds for UFC Vegas 72
Per Bet MGM, Ricky Simon is the -130 favorite, while Song Yadong is the +110 underdog.
In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Ricky Simon is the -140 favorite while Song Yadong is the +110 underdog.
MORE: How to bet on combat sports
UFC Vegas 72: Song Yadong vs. Ricky Simon fight card
Main card
- Song Yadong vs. Ricky Simon; Bantamweights
- Caio Borralho vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk; Middleweights
- Rodolfo Vieira vs. Cody Brundage; Middleweights
- Emily Ducote vs. Polyana Viana; Strawweights
- Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta; Heavyweights
- Joshua Quinlan vs. Ange Loosa; Welterweights
Prelims
- Martin Buday vs. Jake Collier; Heavyweights
- Julian Erosa vs. Fernando Padilla; Featherweights
- Natan Levy vs. Pete Rodriguez; Lightweights
- Cody Durden vs. Charles Johnson; Flyweights
- Stephanie Egger vs. Irina Alekseeva; Bantamweights
- Brian Kelleher vs. Journey Newson; Bantamweights
- Hailey Cowan vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth; Bantamweights
