Jan 21, 2023; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Johnny Walker (blue gloves) reacts after the fight against Paul Craig (red gloves) during UFC 283 at Jeunesse Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason da Silva-USA TODAY Sports

mma

UFC Fight Night 257 Results – Johnny Walker Gets A Rare TKO Victory; Brian Ortega Falls To Aljamain Sterling

The UFC rolled back into Shanghai for the first time since November 2017, and the Chinese fans got quite the homecoming show. UFC Fight Night 257 delivered fireworks from top to bottom on Saturday night, with the Shanghai Indoor Stadium buzzing throughout the card. The atmosphere was electric as local fighters looked to make their mark on home soil while international stars battled for position in their respective divisions.

Johnny Walker needed this win badly after some tough losses had many questioning his future at light heavyweight. The Brazilian striker has always been known for his wild knockout power, but recent setbacks against Anthony Smith and Nikita Krylov had him sitting outside the top fifteen. Meanwhile, Zhang Mingyang represented China’s growing MMA scene with the home crowd firmly behind him. Brian Ortega’s bout against former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling added another intriguing fight to an already compelling card.

UFC Fight Night 257 Main Card Result

Johnny Walker snapped his losing streak with an impressive win over Zhang Mingyang. After dropping the opening round, Walker adjusted his strategy and came out aggressive in the second. He landed a heavy leg kick that visibly hurt Mingyang, who couldn’t keep standing. Smelling blood, Walker unleashed a barrage of strikes that left the referee no choice but to stop the fight at 2:37 of round two. The TKO victory was crucial for Walker, proving he can still compete at the highest level.

LEVELS TO THIS GAME 🫡@JohnnyWalker earns the R2 TKO in enemy territory tonight!

[ #UFCShanghai ] pic.twitter.com/006OlP4NS8
— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2025

Aljamain Sterling showed why he dominated the bantamweight division for so long by completely shutting down Brian Ortega in the co-main event. The former champion swept all five rounds on every scorecard, using his sharp jab and excellent footwork to keep ‘T-City’ at bay. The clean 50-45 sweep puts him right back in title contention at featherweight, likely earning a top-five ranking with this dominant showing.

Keeping his top 5 ranking 💪@SPavlovich13 earns a UD victory today!

[ #UFCShanghai | LIVE NOW on ESPN+ ] pic.twitter.com/gpUFrJqtBK
— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2025

Sergei Pavlovich methodically broke down Waldo Cortes-Acosta over three rounds. He waited for his opponent to overextend before unleashing devastating counters. Pavlovich’s ability to win a decision after years of explosive knockouts proves he’s evolved as a complete fighter. This was his second win of 2025, keeping him firmly in the heavyweight title picture.

Clean sweep on the cards 🧹

Sumudaerji gets the UD victory at #UFCShanghai 👏

[ LIVE NOW on ESPN+ ] pic.twitter.com/pIEbheUNej
— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2025

Su Mudaerji earned a hometown decision over Kevin Borjas. Fighting in China for the first time in over six years, the emotional victory had Su Mudaerji sprinting from the octagon to embrace his adoptive father. His range and takedown defense were on full display in this fight.

Finishing the fight on the ground 💪

Nueraji Taiyilake earns the TKO in his debut on short notice! 😤

[ #UFCShanghai | LIVE NOW on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/bVrdXGTJB2
— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2025

Taiyilake Nueralji made his UFC debut memorable but controversial against Kiefer Crosbie. The young Chinese welterweight got docked two points for a vicious illegal knee, but when Crosbie chose to continue, Nueralji immediately swarmed with ground and pound elbows for the first round TKO.

UFC Fight Night 257 Prelims Result

Gauge Young finally broke through with his first UFC victory. He grinded out a decision win over Maheshate in a battle that showcased both fighters’ hearts. Young’s mixing of striking and grappling in the second round proved to be the difference maker. Charles Johnson violently ended Lone’er Kavanagh’s undefeated streak. The veteran turned up the heat in the second round, culminating with a thunderous right hand that left Kavanagh unconscious. Johnson owns a knockout win over current number one contender Joshua Van, so this finish should propel him back toward ranked opponents.

DON'T EVER COUNT HIM OUT 🤯@InnerGMMA_UFC puts a HUGE right hand to use tonight for a massive KO!

[ #UFCShanghai | LIVE NOW on ESPN+ ] pic.twitter.com/M8uIIQGXbG
— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2025

Zhu Rong continued his impressive UFC run by outpointing Austin Hubbard in an entertaining lightweight scrap. The 25 year old Chinese fighter showed tremendous improvements in his second UFC stint, using superior speed and leg kicks to control the action. Kyle Daukaus made his UFC return count with a spectacular 43 second knockout of Michel Pereira. After four regional wins following his release, he kicked down the door of the UFC with a perfectly timed right hook.

WELCOME BACK TO THE UFC WITH A KO 👊@KyleDaukaus' comeback starts with a knockout in under a minute ⏰

[ #UFCShanghai | LIVE NOW on ESPN+ ] pic.twitter.com/lm9qa1djOA
— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2025

Yi Zha delivered the most explosive performance of the night, demolishing Westin Wilson in just 37 seconds. The Chinese featherweight’s left hand found its target repeatedly until Wilson crumpled against the fence. After losing his promotional debut to Gabriel Santos, this was the kind of statement win that announced his arrival on the big stage.

STARTING OFF FAST WITH THE SUBMISSION 💥

Uran Satybaldiev sinks in the Ezekiel choke to kick off #UFCShanghai 🤯

[ LIVE NOW on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Er2OepEJL2
— UFC (@ufc) August 23, 2025

The card opened with Road to UFC winner You Su-Young extending his winning streak to five fights with a technical decision over local favorite Xiao Long. The South Korean bantamweight’s activity and accuracy were too much for Long to overcome. Uran Satybaldiev capped off the early action with just the fifth Ezekiel choke in UFC history, submitting Diyar Nurgozhay in the first round.

(Image Credit: Jason da Silva – Imagn Images)

Aljamain Sterling

Brian Ortega

Johnny Walker

Michel Pereira

Sergei Pavlovich

UFC Fight Night 257

Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Zhang Mingyang

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!