UFC Shanghai is the first event since the exciting UFC 319 and seems to bring a lot of excitement as the promotion returns to China.
August 23, the UFC will see Asia fly to organize their Fight Night event in Shanghai, China, in the Shanghai Indoor Stadium.
The UFC Shanghai event has a full card, headed by the local favorite Zhang Mingyang while he is fighting Johnny Walker in an exciting light heavyweight match.
That is at the top of a map with a lot to pay attention, including a fight that could have consequences for the next challenger from Tom Aspinall for the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Zhang Mingyang was able to launch himself in the top 10 with a victory of the main event
It is still early in his career, but Mingyang is getting closer to the top of the ranking with every impressive knockout victory that he absorbs.
The Chinese hunter returns home to UFC Shanghai in Headline and takes Walker in his native country in what is expected to be an exciting light heavyweight collision.
Mingyang is expected to finish Walker in the Octagon and add to his three knockout victories in three fights since he earns a contract through the road to UFC show.
A victory over a veteran like Walker could help with Mingyang's Katapult of the light heavyweight rankings, where he currently lives at the #14 place.
He could possibly crack the top 10 and in the near future come closer to a shot in the title of Magomed Ankalaev.
Sergei Pavlovich's fight with Waldo Cortes Acosta saw the winner earning Tom Aspinall
If the #3-ranger arranged heavyweight in the UFC, Sergei Pavlovich will keep an eye on a different title fight with Tom Aspinall while preparing for his UFC Shanghai Bout.
The Russian Grappler was well finished by the UFC Heavyweight Champion at UFC 295 and was eliminated in the first round by a combination of bumps from the Englishman.
Despite a loss for Alexander Volkov the following year, Pavlovich regrouped himself and took a victory over Jairzinho Rozen bush earlier in 2025, and rebuilt himself as a top candidate in the heavyweight division.
A victory over former LFA Heavyweight Champion Waldo Cortes-Acosta would strengthen him as a top hunter and give him more ammunition to demand a title Rematch.
The Co-Main event can be the fight of the night after it has been agreed for the main event
There will be some bad blood for the hunters in the Co-Main event, because they have to feel that they have the main event about Mingyang vs. Earn Walker.
The collision of Brian Ortega with Aljamain Sterling has all started from a top event. A former world champion takes a top 5-year-old, with two men who are greatly defeated on their day, so this fight can cause fireworks.
Many have complained that Ortega vs Sterling is only the Co-Main event, something that both men should push to do the performance of their lives.
Ortega and Sterling have the chance to prove Dana White incorrectly and show why they should continue last, not Mingyang.
UFC Shanghai Full Card
Here is the full map for UFC Shanghai:
Main map
- Light heavyweight: Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang
- Featherweight: Brian Ortega vs. Aljamain sterling
- Heavyweight: Sergei Pavlovich vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta
- Flying weight: Su Mudaerji vs. Kevin Borjas
- Welterweight: Taiyilake Nuerraji vs. Kiefer Crosbie
Prelims
- Lightweight: Maheshate Hayisaer versus Gauge Young
- Flying weight: Lone'er Kavanagh vs. Charles Johnson
- Lightweight: Rong Zhu vs. Austin Hubbard
- Middleweight: Michel Pereira vs. Kyle Dauaus
- Featherweight: Yi Zha vs. Westin Wilson
- Bantam weight: Xiao Long vs. You Su-Young
- Light heavyweight: Uran Satybaldiev vs. DIYAR NURGOZHAY