With last weekend’s pay-per-view event in Chicago now in the rearview mirror, the UFC heads to Shanghai, China, this weekend for an action-packed card headlined by a light heavyweight main event that promises fireworks.
Here’s a look at the matchups set for the main card at UFC Fight Night 257 this Saturday.
Main Event: Johnny Walker vs. Mingyang Zhang (Light Heavyweight)
Mingyang Zhang (19-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC) gets the chance to compete on home soil after an impressive start to his UFC career. All 19 of the Chinese star’s professional victories have come in the opening round, including his three wins inside the Octagon.
After effectively retiring Anthony Smith in his last outing in April, “Mountain Tiger” broke into the top 15 at 205 pounds. A win over Johnny Walker (21-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) this Saturday could propel him toward the top 10.
Walker enters the matchup still searching for his first win in more than two years. The Brazilian finds himself with his back against the wall after suffering devastating knockout losses to Magomed Ankalaev and Volkan Oezdemir in his last two appearances.
Co-Main Event: Brian Ortega vs. Aljamain Sterling (Featherweight)
Former two-time UFC featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) returns in this weekend’s co-main event to face former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (24-5 MMA, 16-5 UFC), who has gone 1-1 since moving up to 145 pounds last year.
Ortega makes his return nearly a year after his last appearance — a decision loss to Diego Lopes at UFC 306 in September — while Sterling is also aiming to get back in the win column following a razor-close defeat to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310 in December.
With eight submission victories each over the course of their professional careers, both men rank among the most dangerous grapplers in the division.
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta (Heavyweight)
After snapping his two-fight skid with a win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik in February, Sergei Pavlovich (19-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) looks to regain momentum in the heavyweight division when he faces Waldo Cortes-Acosta (14-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) this Saturday.
Before falling short in an interim title fight against Tom Aspinall in 2023, Pavlovich had scored six straight knockouts — just one shy of Chuck Liddell’s UFC record of seven.
Cortes-Acosta may not have the same finishing power as Pavlovich, but he’s riding a five-fight win streak that has already elevated him to No. 6 in the UFC heavyweight rankings. A victory this weekend could push him into the title conversation.
Sumudaerji vs. Kevin Borjas (Flyweight)
Chinese flyweight Sumudaerji (17-7 MMA, 4-4 UFC) will look to build on his win over Mitch Raposo at UFC 314 in April when he faces Peruvian prospect Kevin Borjas (10-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) this weekend.
Borjas, a former Dana White’s Contender Series standout, earned his first UFC victory on his third attempt by outpointing Ronaldo Rodriguez in April.
Taiyilake Nueraji vs. Kiefer Crosbie (Welterweight)
It’s do-or-die time for Irish welterweight Kiefer Crosbie (10-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in Saturday’s main card opener. The former Bellator star has lost to both Sam Patterson and Kevin Jousset since signing with the UFC in 2023, and a failure to defeat promotional newcomer Taiyilake Nueraji (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) this weekend could signal the end of his UFC career.
Nueraji steps in to replace Song Kenan, who withdrew from the original matchup a few weeks ago. The Chinese prospect has finished all eleven of his professional wins inside the distance, with ten coming by knockout.
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Maheshate vs. Gauge Young (Lightweight)
- Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Charles Johnson (Flyweight)
- Michel Pereira vs. Kyle Daukaus (Middleweight)
- Yizha vs. Westin Wilson (Featherweight)
- Long Xiao vs. Su Young You (Bantamweight)
- Diyar Nurgozhay vs. Uran Satybaldiev (Light Heavyweight)
