The UFC’s trip to Shanghai, China, delivered plenty of surprises along with its fair share of controversy on Saturday. From an upset in the main event to a last-minute weight class change in the co-main and a rare two-point deduction in the main card opener, there was no shortage of talking points before, during, and after the action.
Let’s take a look at what could be next for some of the biggest winners from UFC Fight Night 257.
Johnny Walker
In the lead-up to Saturday’s event, the prevailing belief was that Johnny Walker (22-9 MMA, 8-6 UFC) had been brought to Shanghai for one reason: to become the 20th fighter knocked out by Mingyang Zhang. Coming off back-to-back stoppage losses, the Brazilian was widely viewed as a sacrificial lamb as he stepped into Mercedes-Benz Arena to the deafening roars of thousands of Chinese fans.
But by becoming the first man to defeat Zhang since 2019, Walker reminded everyone that he still has something to offer the light heavyweight division. Another run at the 205-pound title might be wishful thinking—he’s currently ranked No. 13 and has only one win in his last four outings—but his callout of former champion Jan Blachowicz (29-11-1 MMA, 12-8-1 UFC) is the kind of matchup the UFC could realistically get behind.
Neither fighter is in the immediate title picture, but both carry enough name value to make the potential clash intriguing.
Aljamain Sterling
While Brian Ortega dealt with a turbulent fight week that ultimately turned Saturday’s co-main event into a 153-pound catchweight bout, former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (25-5 MMA, 17-5 UFC) remained composed and methodically outclassed his larger opponent over 25 minutes, cruising to a unanimous decision victory.
Afterward, “Funkmaster” used his post-fight interview to call for a crack at reigning featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. But given the cautious, risk-averse nature of his performance, it’s unlikely Sterling leapfrogs Lerone Murphy, who made a far stronger case for a title shot by brutally knocking out Aaron Pico at UFC 319.
With Diego Lopes set to meet Jean Silva at UFC Noche next month, the featherweight division is heating up. Another former title challenger, Yair Rodriguez (20-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC), currently finds himself without an opponent. If Sterling were to add Rodriguez to his résumé, his claim for a title opportunity would look far more convincing.
Sergei Pavlovich
Sergei Pavlovich (20-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) may have steadied his footing in the heavyweight division with a decision win over Waldo Cortes-Acosta on Saturday, but the Russian powerhouse still faces an uphill climb toward title contention.
From 2019 to 2023, Pavlovich surged into the spotlight with six straight first-round knockouts, a streak that earned him a short-notice interim title shot against Tom Aspinall at UFC 295. But a devastating loss that night — followed by another defeat to Alexander Volkov — brought his momentum to a screeching halt.
Back-to-back decision victories over Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Cortes-Acosta have helped him get back on track, yet the shadow of his loss to Aspinall, now the undisputed heavyweight champion, leaves Pavlovich well behind in the title queue.
Currently ranked No. 3, Pavlovich may need to look down the ladder for his next opponent. A logical option could be the winner of next month’s UFC Paris showdown between Marcin Tybura (27-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC) and former PFL champion Ante Delija (25-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC).
