Daniel Cormier defends Usman Nurmagomedov after altercation at UFC Shanghai: ‘He did not attack Song Yadong’

Daniel Cormier defended Usman Nurmagomedov's conduct following an altercation at UFC Shanghai, where Song Yadong knocked out Umar Nurmagomedov in the main event. After the knockout, emotions ran high as Song celebrated inside the cage while Umar lay unconscious from a devastating uppercut. Usman, Umar's brother and reigning PFL lightweight champion, rushed into the octagon—a violation of UFC protocol—as Song ran in celebration, leading to a brief confrontation.

Realtime footage appeared to show Usman attempting to elbow Song, but Cormier pushed back against that narrative during commentary on his YouTube channel. "He did not elbow him," Cormier stated firmly. "He did not attack Song Yadong. What he did was try to get to his brother." Cormier acknowledged that while jumping into the octagon is prohibited, the emotional impulse to reach a sibling after witnessing a knockout is understandable.

Cormier recognized the reasoning behind the rule, citing historical incidents involving Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor that demonstrated how quickly octagon breaches can escalate. "The reason they won't let people jump [into the octagon] is because of the things that happened with Khabib and Conor and all those other things," he explained. Nevertheless, Cormier argued Usman deserved some understanding given the circumstances. "If there's anyone that you care about immensely and you want to rush to their side in that moment, it is your brother."

Song never faltered in his celebration and eventually showed respect to Khabib and Umar's team. The incident de-escalated quickly without further incident, and UFC officials have not issued any formal statement. While Cormier maintained that Usman must ultimately be responsible for entering the cage, he emphasized the extraordinary emotional context warranted some grace.