UFC Shanghai may have a few intriguing fights on the high
of the invoice.
The night’s headliner will see Mingyang
Zhang sq. off in opposition to Johnny
Walker at mild heavyweight, whereas Brian
Ortega will face Aljamain
Sterling within the featherweight co-main occasion.
UFC CEO Dana White introduced the pairings on Wednesday
night time.
UFC Shanghai — also referred to as UFC Struggle Night time 257 — takes place on
Aug. 23 at Mercedes-Benz Enviornment in China. A heavyweight showdown
pitting Sergei
Pavlovich in opposition to Waldo
Cortes-Acosta can be scheduled for the cardboard.
The 26-year-old Zhang will take a 12-fight skilled successful
streak into the matchup with Walker. “Mountain Tiger” has scored
first-round finishes of Brendson
Ribeiro, Osman Diaz
and Anthony
Smith in his first three UFC appearances. The Chinese language standout
has completed all 19 of his profession victories contained in the
distance.
Gentle Heavyweight Finishers Headline UFC’s Return to China
Walker, in the meantime, is winless in his final three outings:
back-to-back KO defeats to Volkan Oezdmeir and Magomed
Ankalaev in addition to a no contest in his first assembly with the
present mild heavyweight champion. The Brazilian is 7-6 within the
Octagon and has secured all of his wins within a spherical.
A two-time title challenger at 145 kilos, Ortega has misplaced three of
his final 4 fights inside the Las Vegas-based promotion. Most
just lately, “T-Metropolis” dropped a unanimous verdict in opposition to Diego Lopes
at UFC 306 this previous September.
A former bantamweight champion, Sterling is 1-1 since transferring to 145
kilos. After debuting within the weight class with a call victory
in opposition to Calvin
Kattar, “Funk Grasp” dropped a hard-fought three-round verdict
to Movsar
Evloev at UFC 310 this previous December.
Bringing the HEAT to Shanghai 🔥@JohnnyWalker
vs Zhang Mingyang@BrianTCity
vs @FunkMasterMMA[
#UFCShanghai | AUG 23 ] pic.twitter.com/ISsBbCMgKm— UFC (@ufc)
June 26, 2025