The UFC returns to Shanghai with a bantamweight main event that could have major consequences near the top of the division. Umar Nurmagomedov takes on Song Yadong in a five-round showdown at the Oriental Sports Center, with both fighters looking to strengthen their position in the race toward the championship.
For Nurmagomedov, the fight represents another opportunity to prove that he belongs among the leading contenders at 135 pounds. Song, meanwhile, enters one of the biggest fights of his career in front of a home crowd, carrying the hopes of Chinese fans in a matchup against one of the division’s most difficult opponents.
The event will also feature Yan Xiaonan vs. Denise Gomes in the co-main event, while Kai Asakura, Alex Perez and Sumudaerji are among the other notable names scheduled to compete. The card will also have special interest in Peru, with Kevin Borjas competing on the preliminary card and Nilson Rojas appearing on the main card.
Because UFC Shanghai is taking place in China, the event will air at unusual times across North and South America. Fans in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and other parts of the world will need to check their local schedules before the first fight begins.
What time does Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong start today?
UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song takes place on Saturday, August 29, 2026, in Shanghai, China. The preliminary card is scheduled to begin at 3 a.m. ET, followed by the main card at 6 a.m. ET.
The start time changes significantly depending on where you are watching. In the United States, the event begins during the early hours of Saturday morning. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, it will air during the morning, while fans in Asia and Oceania will watch at more conventional afternoon or evening hours.
Here are the worldwide start times for UFC Shanghai:
| Country / Region | Prelims | Main Card | Where to Watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States – Eastern Time | 3:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| United States – Central Time | 2:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| United States – Mountain Time | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| United States – Pacific Time | 12:00 a.m. | 3:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Canada – Toronto | 3:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Canada – Montreal | 3:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Canada – Winnipeg | 2:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Canada – Calgary | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Canada – Edmonton | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Canada – Vancouver | 12:00 a.m. | 3:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Mexico City | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Guatemala | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| El Salvador | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Honduras | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Nicaragua | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Costa Rica | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Panama | 2:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Colombia | 2:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Ecuador | 2:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Peru | 2:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Venezuela | 3:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Bolivia | 3:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Chile | 4:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Argentina | 4:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Uruguay | 4:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Paraguay | 4:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| Brazil | 4:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. | Paramount+ |
| United Kingdom | 8:00 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. | TNT Sports / Discovery+ |
| Ireland | 8:00 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. | TNT Sports / Discovery+ |
| Portugal | 8:00 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. | UFC Fight Pass |
| Spain | 9:00 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | HBO Max |
| France | 9:00 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | RMC Sport |
| Germany | 9:00 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | DAZN |
| Italy | 9:00 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | HBO Max / Discovery+ |
| Netherlands | 9:00 a.m. | 12:00 p.m. | HBO Max |
| UAE | 11:00 a.m. | 2:00 p.m. | Local rights holder |
| India | 12:30 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | Local rights holder |
| China | 3:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Local rights holder |
| Japan | 4:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. | Local rights holder |
| South Korea | 4:00 p.m. | 7:00 p.m. | Local rights holder |
| Australia – Perth | 3:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | Paramount+ |
| Australia – Adelaide | 4:30 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. | Paramount+ |
| Australia – Sydney | 5:00 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. | Paramount+ |
| Australia – Melbourne | 5:00 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. | Paramount+ |
| New Zealand – Auckland | 7:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | Local rights holder |
The listed times correspond to the start of the preliminary and main cards. The exact walkout time for Nurmagomedov and Song will depend on how long the earlier bouts last.
What time does UFC Fight Night start in the United States?
In the United States, the UFC Shanghai preliminary card begins at 3 a.m. ET, while the main card starts at 6 a.m. ET.
For viewers on the West Coast, the schedule is considerably earlier. The prelims begin at 12 a.m. PT, with the main card starting at 3 a.m. PT.
Here is the complete U.S. schedule:
| Time Zone | Prelims | Main Card |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Time | 3:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. |
| Central Time | 2:00 a.m. | 5:00 a.m. |
| Mountain Time | 1:00 a.m. | 4:00 a.m. |
| Pacific Time | 12:00 a.m. | 3:00 a.m. |
The entire event will be available on Paramount+ in the United States.
What time does Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong start in Canada?
Canada will also have early-morning viewing times for UFC Shanghai, although the exact schedule depends on the province and time zone.
Fans in Toronto and Montreal will follow the same schedule as Eastern Time in the United States, with the prelims beginning at 3 a.m. and the main card at 6 a.m.
In Winnipeg, the event starts at 2 a.m., while Calgary and Edmonton viewers can watch the prelims at 1 a.m. The main card begins at 5 a.m. in Winnipeg and 4 a.m. in Calgary and Edmonton.
On the West Coast, Vancouver viewers can watch the prelims at 12 a.m., followed by the main card at 3 a.m.
Paramount+ will carry the event in Canada.
What time does UFC Shanghai start in the United Kingdom?
Fans in the United Kingdom will not have to stay awake through the night to watch UFC Shanghai. The preliminary card is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. BST, with the main card following at 11 a.m. BST.
The event will be available through TNT Sports, while Discovery+ will provide the streaming option.
Because the event takes place in Shanghai, the main event is expected to air around the early afternoon in the United Kingdom.
What time does UFC Shanghai start in Ireland?
Ireland will follow the same schedule as the United Kingdom. The preliminary card begins at 8 a.m. local time, followed by the main card at 11 a.m.
Fans in Ireland can watch UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song through TNT Sports and Discovery+.
The main event between Nurmagomedov and Song will take place later in the card, so its exact start time will depend on the duration of the previous fights.
What time does UFC Fight Night start in Mexico and Latin America?
In Mexico City, the preliminary card begins at 1 a.m., while the main card starts at 4 a.m.
For fans in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, the event starts at 2 a.m., with the main card scheduled for 5 a.m.
Venezuela and Bolivia will have the prelims at 3 a.m. and the main card at 6 a.m. Meanwhile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil will see the event begin at 4 a.m., followed by the main card at 7 a.m.
Paramount+ will carry UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song across Latin America.
The event also features two Peruvian fighters. Kevin Borjas faces Rei Tsuruya on the preliminary card, while Nilson Rojas takes on Bilal Hasan on the main card.
What time does Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong start in Europe?
The event will air during the morning and afternoon across most of Europe.
In Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, the prelims begin at 9 a.m., while the main card starts at 12 p.m.
In Portugal, the schedule is one hour earlier, with the prelims beginning at 8 a.m. and the main card at 11 a.m.
Broadcast rights vary by country. UFC Shanghai will air on HBO Max in Spain, RMC Sport in France, DAZN in Germany, and TNT Sports / Discovery+ in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
What time does UFC Shanghai start in Asia and Australia?
The event will air at much more convenient times for viewers closer to China.
In Shanghai, the preliminary card begins at 3 p.m., with the main card starting at 6 p.m. In Japan and South Korea, the schedule moves one hour later to 4 p.m. for the prelims and 7 p.m. for the main card.
In India, the prelims begin at 12:30 p.m., followed by the main card at 3:30 p.m.
Australian viewers will watch the event in the afternoon and evening. In Sydney and Melbourne, the prelims start at 5 p.m. and the main card at 8 p.m.
What time will Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong actually start?
The main card officially begins at 6 a.m. ET, but Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong is scheduled to be the sixth and final fight of the main card.
That means there is no official exact start time for the main event. The walkouts will depend on the duration of the five fights scheduled before the headliner.
Based on the structure of a typical six-fight UFC main card, the main event could begin approximately two and a half hours after the start of the main card.
| Country / Region | Main Card Starts | Approx. Umar vs. Song Start |
|---|---|---|
| USA – Eastern Time | 6:00 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. |
| USA – Central Time | 5:00 a.m. | 7:30 a.m. |
| USA – Mountain Time | 4:00 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. |
| USA – Pacific Time | 3:00 a.m. | 5:30 a.m. |
| Canada – Toronto | 6:00 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. |
| Canada – Vancouver | 3:00 a.m. | 5:30 a.m. |
| Mexico City | 4:00 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. |
| Colombia | 5:00 a.m. | 7:30 a.m. |
| Peru | 5:00 a.m. | 7:30 a.m. |
| Argentina | 7:00 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| Brazil | 7:00 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
| United Kingdom | 11:00 a.m. | 1:30 p.m. |
| Ireland | 11:00 a.m. | 1:30 p.m. |
| Spain | 12:00 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. |
| France | 12:00 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. |
| Germany | 12:00 p.m. | 2:30 p.m. |
| China | 6:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| Japan | 7:00 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. |
| Australia – Sydney | 8:00 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. |
| New Zealand | 10:00 p.m. | 12:30 a.m. |
These are approximate times only. A series of early finishes could move the main event forward, while longer fights and decisions could push the walkouts later.
UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song full fight card
Main card
- Bantamweight: Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong
- Women’s strawweight: Yan Xiaonan vs. Denise Gomes
- Bantamweight: Aori Qileng vs. Kai Asakura
- Flyweight: Alex Perez vs. Sumudaerji
- Light heavyweight: Ce Liu vs. Levi Rodrigues Jr.
- Flyweight: Bilal Hasan vs. Nilson Rojas
Preliminary card
- Flyweight: Namsrai Batbayar vs. Andre Lima
- Flyweight: Rei Tsuruya vs. Kevin Borjas
- Featherweight: Jack Jenkins vs. Sean Woodson
- Bantamweight: Xiao Long vs. Francesco Nuzzi
- Bantamweight: Lawrence Lui vs. Hector Santiago
- Women’s strawweight: Jingnan Xiong vs. Julia Polastri
- Welterweight: Ding Meng vs. Cameron Nelson
