The UFC returned to mainland China on August 23, 2025, for UFC Fight Night: Walker vs. Zhang at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium. In the main event, Johnny Walker silenced the crowd with a second-round TKO (2:37) over local star Zhang Mingyang. In the co-main, Aljamain Sterling blanked Brian Ortega with a clean 50–45 sweep in a 153-lb catchweight, after Ortega’s weight-cut issues forced the bout off featherweight. WikipediaSherdogMMA Fighting
Main card — official results
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Johnny Walker def. Zhang Mingyang — TKO (calf kick → GNP), R2, 2:37. Sherdog
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Aljamain Sterling def. Brian Ortega — unanimous decision (50–45 x3), catchweight 153 lb. MMA Fighting
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Sergei Pavlovich def. Waldo Cortes-Acosta — unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28). X (formerly Twitter)
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Su Mudaerji def. Kevin Borjas — unanimous decision (30–27 x3). X (formerly Twitter)
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Taiyilake Nueraji def. Kiefer Crosbie — TKO, R1, 3:33 (two-point deduction for an illegal knee moments earlier). MMA Fighting
Event venue/date confirmed by UFC & Wikipedia. ufc.comWikipedia
Prelims — official results
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Gauge Young def. Maheshate — unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28). Cageside Press
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Charles Johnson def. Lone’er Kavanagh — KO, R2, 4:35. MMA Fighting
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Rong Zhu def. Austin Hubbard — unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28). Cageside Press
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Kyle Daukaus def. Michel Pereira — TKO (elbows), R1, 0:43. X (formerly Twitter)MMA Fighting
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Yi Zha def. Westin Wilson — KO (punches), R1, 0:37. uk.ufc.comSherdog
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Su-Young You def. Xiao Long — unanimous decision (29–28 x3). MMA Decisions
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Uran Satybaldiev def. Diyar Nurgozhay — submission (Ezekiel choke), R1, 2:45. Cageside Press
$50,000 bonuses
No “Fight of the Night.” Performance of the Night: Johnny Walker, Charles Johnson, Kyle Daukaus, Uran Satybaldiev. MMAmania.comSherdog
6 takeaways that tell the story
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Walker’s calf-kick checkmate
After a rough R1, Walker flipped the fight with back-to-back calf kicks that collapsed Zhang; he swarmed with punches and elbows for the stoppage at 2:37 of R2. The upset ended Zhang’s long win streak and reignited Walker’s campaign at 205. SherdogESPN.com -
Sterling 50–45 across the board
The former bantamweight champ’s jab, leg kicks and timely grappling control kept Ortega off balance for a clean sweep on all cards in a 153-lb catchweight necessitated by Ortega’s weight issues. MMA Fighting -
Pavlovich goes the distance — and wins clearly
The heavyweight contender pressed forward, mixed levels and volume, and took it 30–27, 29–28, 29–28. Not flashy, but exactly what he needed after volatile recent form. X (formerly Twitter) -
Nueraji’s debut: explosive but controversial
A blatant illegal knee drew an immediate two-point deduction from Marc Goddard; Crosbie chose to continue and was finished moments later at 3:33 of R1. Expect plenty of Monday-morning debate. MMA Fighting -
KO artists on the undercard
Kyle Daukaus returned in style with a 43-second TKO of Michel Pereira, while Yi Zha needed only 37 seconds to ice Westin Wilson. Both took home extra checks. MMA FightingSherdog -
Local heroes deliver steady wins
Su Mudaerji swept the cards 30–27 x3 over Kevin Borjas, and Rong Zhu out-worked Austin Hubbard — good nights for China’s next wave. X (formerly Twitter)Cageside Press
Event facts
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Event: UFC Fight Night — Walker vs. Zhang (aka UFC on ESPN+ 115, UFC Fight Night 257)
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Date: August 23, 2025
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Venue: Shanghai Indoor Stadium, Shanghai, China. Wikipedia
China’s homecoming card delivered shocks and storylines: Walker flipped the script with a savage calf-kick game, Sterling reminded everyone he’s elite with a 50–45 clinic, and rising Chinese names banked important wins as the arena rocked. With rankings set to shuffle this week, the light heavyweight and featherweight pictures just got a lot more interesting. Sherdog MMA Fighting
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Join the discussion: Who should Walker face next after this statement win?
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