UFC Shanghai delivered fireworks contained in the Shanghai Indoor Stadium on August 23, 2025, as Johnny Walker silenced the house crowd with a dramatic stoppage win over China’s personal Zhang Mingyang in the primary occasion. The night time featured highlight-reel knockouts, dominant choices, and a transparent title contender rising at featherweight.
Johnny Walker Shocks Zhang Mingyang within the Predominant Occasion
Brazilian mild heavyweight Johnny Walker (22-9, 1 NC) spoiled Zhang Mingyang’s historic headliner by ending the Chinese language star within the second spherical. Walker focused Zhang’s legs early in Spherical 2, crippling his motion with calf kicks earlier than swarming with punches and elbows to power a stoppage on the 2:37 mark.
Zhang (19-7) entered the battle on a 12-fight win streak and have become the primary Chinese language male fighter to headline a UFC card in mainland China. However the energy and unpredictability of Walker proved an excessive amount of, snapping his momentum in entrance of a packed residence crowd.
“Coaching is coaching, battle is battle,” mentioned an emotional Walker. “My kick is superior, proper? Now’s the definition of the title battle run. I would like Jan Blachowicz subsequent.”
The victory snapped Walker’s three-fight winless skid and put him again within the combine at 205 kilos.
Sterling Dominates Ortega in Co-Predominant Occasion
Former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (25-5) regarded sharp at featherweight, cruising to a lopsided unanimous determination over Brian Ortega (16-5, 1 NC). All three judges scored the battle 50-45 in Sterling’s favour.
“Funk Grasp” outlanded Ortega 124-55 in important strikes, combined in takedowns late, and managed the motion from begin to end. Ortega, who missed weight badly and compelled the battle right into a 153-pound catchweight, by no means discovered his rhythm and was clearly outclassed over 5 rounds.
“I believe I’ve completed sufficient on this recreation,” Sterling mentioned post-fight. “Volkanovski is the person, however I would like one other shot on the title.”
Different Predominant Card Highlights
Sergei Pavlovich outworked Waldo Cortes-Acosta to take a hard-fought unanimous determination in a heavyweight conflict.Su Mudaerji thrilled the house crowd with a clear sweep on the scorecards towards Kevin Borjas in a flyweight contest.Taiyilake Nueraji scored an emotional first-round TKO over Kiefer Crosbie, ending with brutal elbows at 3:33 of Spherical 1.
Preliminary Card Standouts
Gauge Younger defeated Maheshate in a aggressive light-weight determination.Charles Johnson delivered a knockout of the night time candidate, stopping Lone’er Kavanagh with a clear punch in Spherical 2.Kyle Daukaus shocked followers by knocking out Michel Pereira in simply 43 seconds of the opening spherical.Yi Zha wanted solely 37 seconds to dispatch Westin Wilson with a fast flurry at featherweight.Uran Satybaldiev secured one of the crucial distinctive submissions of the yr, catching Diyar Nurgozhay with an Ezekiel choke in Spherical 1.
Bonus Awards
The UFC handed out 4 $50,000 Efficiency of the Evening bonuses to:
Johnny WalkerCharles JohnsonKyle DaukausUran Satybaldiev
No Combat of the Evening was awarded.
UFC Shanghai Full Outcomes
Predominant Card
Johnny Walker def. Zhang Mingyang — TKO (strikes), R2, 2:37Aljamain Sterling def. Brian Ortega — Choice (unanimous), 50-45 x3Sergei Pavlovich def. Waldo Cortes-Acosta — Choice (unanimous), 30-27, 29-28, 29-28Su Mudaerji def. Kevin Borjas — Choice (unanimous), 30-27 x3Taiyilake Nueraji def. Kiefer Crosbie — TKO (elbows), R1, 3:33
Preliminary Card
Gauge Younger def. Maheshate — Choice (unanimous)Charles Johnson def. Lone’er Kavanagh — KO (punch), R2, 4:35Rong Zhu def. Austin Hubbard — Choice (unanimous)Kyle Daukaus def. Michel Pereira — KO (strikes), R1, 0:43Yi Zha def. Westin Wilson — KO (punches), R1, 0:37You Su-young def. Xiao Lengthy — Choice (unanimous)Uran Satybaldiev def. Diyar Nurgozhay — Submission (Ezekiel choke), R1, 2:45
