UFC Shanghai is the first event since the exciting UFC 319 and looks to bring lots of excitement as the promotion returns to China.
August 23 will see the UFC fly to Asia to host their fight night event in Shanghai, China, at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium.
The UFC Shanghai event has a full card, headlined by local favorite Zhang Mingyang as he battles Johnny Walker in an exciting Light Heavyweight contest.
That tops a card with lots to watch out for, including a fight which could have implications for Tom Aspinall’s next challenger for the UFC Heavyweight championship.
Zhang Mingyang could launch himself into the top 10 with a main event win
It is still early in his career, but Mingyang is moving closer and closer to the top of the rankings with every impressive knockout win he records.
The Chinese fighter returns home to headline UFC Shanghai, taking on Walker in his native country in what is expected to be an exciting Light Heavyweight clash.
Mingyang is expected to finish Walker in the octagon and add to his three knockout wins in three fights since earning a contract through the Road to UFC show.
A victory over a veteran like Walker could help catapult Mingyang up the Light Heavyweight rankings, where he currently resides in the #14 spot.
He could potentially crack the top 10 and move ever closer to a shot at Magomed Ankalaev’s title in the near future.
Sergei Pavlovich’s fight with Waldo Cortes Acosta could see the winner earn a shot at Tom Aspinall
As the #3-ranked Heavyweight in the UFC, Sergei Pavlovich will have an eye on another title fight with Tom Aspinall as he prepares for his UFC Shanghai bout.
The Russian grappler was soundly finished by the UFC Heavyweight champion at UFC 295, getting knocked out in the first round by a combination of punches from the Englishman.
Despite a loss to Alexander Volkov the following year, Pavlovich regrouped and picked up a victory over Jairzinho Rozenstruik earlier in 2025, rebuilding himself as a top contender in the Heavyweight division.
A win over former LFA Heavyweight champion Waldo Cortes-Acosta would cement him as a top fighter and give him more ammunition to demand a title rematch.
The co-main event could be the fight of the night after being snubbed for the main event
There will be some bad blood for the fighters in the co-main event, as they should feel that they deserve the main event over Mingyang vs. Walker.
Brian Ortega’s clash with Aljamain Sterling has all the makings of a top main event. A former world champion is taking on a top-5 contender, with two men who are very beatable on their day, so this fight could spark fireworks.
Many have complained about Ortega vs Sterling only being the co-main event, which is something that should push both men on to put on the performance of their lives.
Ortega and Sterling have the chance to prove Dana White wrong and should show why they should go on last, not Mingyang.
UFC Shanghai full card
Here is the full card for UFC Shanghai:
Main card
- Light Heavyweight: Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang
- Featherweight: Brian Ortega vs. Aljamain Sterling
- Heavyweight: Sergei Pavlovich vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta
- Flyweight: Su Mudaerji vs. Kevin Borjas
- Welterweight: Taiyilake Nueraji vs. Kiefer Crosbie
Prelims
- Lightweight: Maheshate Hayisaer vs. Gauge Young
- Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Charles Johnson
- Lightweight: Rong Zhu vs. Austin Hubbard
- Middleweight: Michel Pereira vs. Kyle Daukaus
- Featherweight: Yi Zha vs. Westin Wilson
- Bantamweight: Xiao Long vs. You Su-young
- Light Heavyweight: Uran Satybaldiev vs. Diyar Nurgozhay