Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just over 24 hours away from its upcoming UFC Shanghai mixed martial arts (MMA) event, headlined by a 205-pound showdown between light heavyweight rivals Johnny Walker and Zhang Mingyang. The action pops off this Sat. (Aug. 23, 2025) on ESPN+ from inside Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China, and also features a featherweight co-headliner between 145-pound contenders Aljamain Sterling and Brian Ortega.
Before the ESPN+ live stream gets underway this weekend in Shanghai, which includes the all-action heavyweight slugfest pitting Sergei Pavlovich against Waldo Cortes-Acosta, all 26 fighters must hit the scale to prove themselves worthy. Note: the promotion (serving as its own athletic commission) affords a one-pound allowance in non-title fights. The first fighter is expected to tip the scale at 9 p.m. ET, with text results to follow shortly thereafter.
205 lbs.: Johnny Walker (206) vs. Mingyang Zhang (205)
145 lbs.: Brian Ortega (153) vs. Aljamain Sterling (153) **
265 lbs.: Sergei Pavlovich (255.5) vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta (262)
125 lbs.: Sumudaerji (125.5) vs. Kevin Borjas (126)
170 lbs.: Kiefer Crosbie (170.5) vs. Taiyilake Nueraji (170)
155 lbs.: Maheshate Hayisaer (155) vs. Gauge Young (155.5)
125 lbs.: Lone’er Kavanagh (126) vs. Charles Johnson (126)
155 lbs.: Rongzhu (155.5) vs. Austin Hubbard (155.5)
185 lbs.: Michel Pereira (186) vs. Kyle Daukus (185)
145 lbs.: Yizha (145) vs. Westin Wilson (146)
135 lbs.: Long Xiao (136) vs. Su Young You (135.5)
205 lbs.: Diyar Nurgozhay (205.5) vs. Uran Satybaldiev (204)
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Shanghai fight card on fight night, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 3 a.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance on ESPN+ at 6 a.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Shanghai news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For the updated and finalized “Walker vs. Zhang” fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.
