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#13 Johnny Walker (206 lbs.) vs. #14 Zhang Mingyang (205 lbs.)
Brian Ortega (153 lbs.) vs. Aljamain Sterling (153 lbs.)
#6 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (262 lbs.) vs. #3 Sergei Pavlovich (255.5 lbs.)
Kevin Borjas (126 lbs.) vs. Sumudaerji (125.5 lbs.)
Kiefer Crosbie (170.5 lbs.) vs. Taiyilake Nueraji (170 lbs.)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 3 a.m. ET)
Hayisaer Maheshate (155 lbs.) vs. Gauge Young (155.5 lbs.)
#15 Charles Johnson (126 lbs.) vs. Lone’er Kavanagh (126 lbs.)
Austin Hubbard (155.5 lbs.) vs. Rongzhu (155.5 lbs.)
Kyle Daukaus (185 lbs.) vs. Michel Pereira (186 lbs.)
Yizha (145 lbs.) vs. Westin Wilson (146 lbs.)
Xiao Long (136 lbs.) vs. SuYoung You (135.5 lbs.)
Diyar Nurgozhay (205.5 lbs.) vs. Uran Satybaldiev (204 lbs.)
Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 115, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host for the event. The UFC is back in China for the first time since 2017 and they’ve brought a pretty solid Fight Night card on paper. The main event sees Zhang Mingyang look to continue his success in a wasteland of a division against Johnny Walker. Zhang is being set up to make a statement win in his home country, and frankly with the state of the division I can’t blame the UFC for trying to get some life into it. We’ve also got a 5 round co-main event when Aljamain Sterling takes on Brian Ortega, that fight hit some rough waters during fight week as Ortega struggled with his weight cut and they wound up making a 153 pound catchweight. Waldo Cortes-Acosta gets a fight with Sergei Pavlovich in a fight that might have title implications. We also get Lone’er Kavanagh and Charles Johnson, Maheshate against Gauge Young, Kyle Daukaus returning to the UFC against generally entertaining fighter Michel Pereira. It’s not the kind of card that’ll stand out to casuals but for a Fight Night that’s only for streaming or the local market where it takes place it’s not too bad. Now let’s hope the action lives up to the potential.
UFC on ESPN+ 115 comes to the world from the Shanghai Indoor Stadium in Shanghai, China. Brendan Fitzgerald, Michael Bisping, and Laura Sanko will be on the call for us. We’ll have the bigger 30 foot cage to work with, and the newer rules should be in play. I will update if China uses a different set of rules.
Diyar Nurgozhay suffered his first professional loss in his UFC debut back in March, now he’s hoping his sophomore outing is more successful. Uran Satybaldiev took his UFC debut on short notice and up at heavyweight which resulted in his first professional loss, now he’s back at his regular weight class and looking for that first UFC win. This one closed at a -110 pick ’em.
Light Heavyweight Bout: Diyar Nurgozhay (10-1, 205.5 lbs.) vs. Uran Satybaldiev (9-1, 204 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Satybaldiev is two inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Nurgozhay. Both men try some kicks, then Nurgozhay lands a body kick. Satybaldiev looks to work his way into boxing range. Nurgozhay is keeping decently busy with kicks and a few probing strikes to the body. Satybaldiev gets into range and cracks Nurgozhay with a right hand, that gets Nurgozhay down and Satybaldiev follows into half guard. Satybaldiev grabs at a kimura, Nurgozhay is able to wall walk but Satybaldiev keeps the kimura and cranks on it to get a sweep and get on top in full guard. Now Satybaldiev has a top side Ezekiel choke kind of going, that’s hard to actually finish and his hand position needs work but he keeps adjusting until he gets things into proper position and gets the tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Uran Satybaldiev via Submission, Ezekiel choke, at 2:45 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Satybaldiev for his work. Mic time for Satybaldiev and the double set of translators, one for him and one for the crowd, he is very happy with the win and says in his weight class he’s very good then puts over his coaches.
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
Xiao Long got his first UFC win in November of last year, now he’s looking to build his first UFC winning streak with another win here. Su Young You is on a four fight winning streak including being 2-0 in the UFC, if he can extend that success here he could firmly establish himself as a prospect in the division. The odds lean towards You at -130 to Long’s +110.
Bantamweight Bout: Xiao Long (27-9, 136 lbs.) vs. Su Young You (15-3 2 NC, 135.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Xiao is two inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. Xiao comes out and misses a flying knee. Both men do a little feinting as they circle. Calf kick from You. They get close and tie up, You with a few knees then a foot sweep but Xiao bounces up into the clinch right away. You pushes things to the fence and they start jockeying for position. Xiao is keeping You from getting chest to chest as they trade a few knees. They break without incident. Bit of a right from You. Xiao lands a jab. Again You lands a right. They split jabs. Bit of a one two from You. Xiao falls short with a right hand. Glancing left from Xiao. You with a jab. Right hand from You, he’s getting a bit of a read on the timing. Xiao keeps trying to establish his leg kicks, then he sprawls away from a double leg. You avoids a hook, then they get close as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 You
ROUND TWO: Xiao back to feinting with the kicks as the round starts. You pushes into a clinch and lands a knee before Xiao gets free. Xiao avoids a right hand. Left hook from You. They trade punches in close. Body kick from You then Xiao lands a left hand. Jab from You. Knee from You and he grabs a clinch but can’t keep it. Xiao misses a few more kicks then both men miss punches in close. Right hand from Xiao mostly lands but You gets a clinch then knees him before pushing free. They trade jabs. Calf kick from You. You with a right hand, then another one. Both men miss some wide hooks. You again lands a right hand. Bit of an uppercut from You. Calf kick then a left hand from You. Xiao goes to the body a few times. Both men land punches in close then they clinch. You pushes things to the fence and lands a few knees before they break. Uppercut from Xiao then You responds with a one two. They trade rights. They get close and trade again before clinching and that’s where the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 You, 20-18 You overall
ROUND THREE: Both men come out showing punches again. Right hand then a left hook from You. Again You lands a right hand. They get close and trade punches, You just seems to be more accurate of the two. You punches into a clinch, Xiao keeps grabbing the shorts of You and the ref breaks them up then warns him about it before they restart. Right hand from Xiao. Left hook from You then he shoots into a clinch. They jockey for position then break. Both men with punches then they clinch again. A few knees from You land then they break. Xiao misses a right hand. A few kicks from Xiao are shown, he’s bleeding from the nose now though. Right hand from Xiao. They clinch again and trade knees then break. Xiao is looking to keep up the pressure as they clinch again. A few elbows from Xiao land before they break. Another clinch on the fence then they separate. They get close and trade blows, Xiao keeps looking to elbow which is a good read from him. Some dirty boxing in the clinch now as both men are swinging elbows. You with a right hand. They break trading elbows. Another clinch and they trade body blows. You with a right hand then they just trade elbows in close for several seconds until the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Xiao, 29-28 You overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Su Young You via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Xiao closed strong but dropped the first two rounds, he’s a little miffed at the decision though. No interview for You.
Yizha has gone 0-2 in the UFC across two stints with the promotion and most recently lost to Gabriel Santos, he’s trying to rebound from that loss and finally get his first UFC win under his belt. Westin Wilson has gone 1-2 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win and could get his UFC record to the .500 mark with another win. Yizha is the biggest favorite on the card at -1150 to Wilson’s +730.
Featherweight Bout: Yizha (25-5, 145 lbs.) vs. Westin Wilson (17-9, 146 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Wilson is a significant six inches taller with two inches of reach advantage, he’s also 8 years older. They touch gloves to get things going, both men fighting southpaw. A few calf kicks go back and forth then Yizha lands a couple of lefts to get Wilson backing up. Solid left hand from Yizha then another one drops Wilson, he looks to unload, Wilson fights up to his feet but Yizha then sleeps him with a left hand.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Yizha via KO, punches, at :37 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Yizha for his work. Yizha gets an interview with the translator, he planned to land the overhand on the taller fighter to get the finish. He thanks his team and family to close, then sneaks in the usual begging for a bonus. It’s early in the event but that was a pretty good knockout so his chances look OK right now.
Michel Pereira has gone 3-2 since returning to middleweight in 2023, he is on a two fight losing streak though and if he’s got any aspirations in the division he needs to halt that skid. Kyle Daukaus was cut from the UFC in 2022 after going 2-4 with 1 No Contest during that time, he’s also taking this fight on somewhat short notice but he is riding a four fight winning streak and now has a chance to get his second UFC run off on the right foot. Pereira is the favorite at -245 to a +200 comeback on Daukaus.
Middleweight Bout: Kyle Daukaus (15-4 1 NC, 185 lbs.) vs. Michel Pereira (31-13 2 NC, 186 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Daukaus is an inch taller with three inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Daukaus fighting southpaw. Pereira opens with a body kick. Some stance switching from Pereira as he circles then he lands another body kick. A right hook from Daukaus in close drops Pereira, he gets on top and fires elbows which get the ref to step in.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kyle Daukaus via TKO, punches and elbows, at :43 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Daukaus for his work. Mic time for Daukaus, he thanks God and his team, thanks the fans for coming out and would like a bonus. He talks us through the finish and mentions how much he’s worked on sitting on his punches to get some power into them. To close he thanks the UFC for bringing him back and feels he made a statement.
Rongzhu has gone 2-3 in the UFC across two stints, he’s 1-1 since returning to the UFC last year and he did win his last fight which means this represents a chance to get his first UFC winning streak going. Austin Hubbard has gone 4-7 across two UFC stints, he’s just 1-3 in his current one though and has dropped his last two fights. Hubbard badly needs a win to get his career back on track. The odds are with Rongzhu at -295 while +240 on Hubbard might tempt some bettors out there.
Lightweight Bout: Austin Hubbard (16-9, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Rongzhu (26-6, 155.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Hubbard is an inch taller but the reach is identical, he’s also 8 years older. They touch gloves to get things going. Bit of a high kick from Hubbard early, he’s also showing stance switches already. A few jabs go back and forth. Left hand from Hubbard out of southpaw. Rongzhu avoids a takedown attempt then lands an inside leg kick. Right to the body from Hubbard. Another inside leg kick from Rongzhu. Both men land punches in close. Rongzhu lands a right hand then a calf kick. Hubbard misses an uppercut. Both men are showing uppercuts now. Hubbard with a front kick. Glancing right hand from Rongzhu. Rongzhu with another calf kick. Spinning back kick from Hubbard. A couple of jabs from Rongzhu then a bit of a right hand. Rongzhu lands a calf kick. Hubbard hits a takedown, Rongzhu scoots to the fence very quickly then starts looking to wall walk. Rongzhu is able to wall walk and they reset. Rongzhu does the Holloway point for the last 10 seconds, everyone really needs to stop doing that as nothing really comes of it before the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Rongzhu
ROUND TWO: Both men more or less pick up where they left off. Hubbard with a right hand. Rongzhu lands a right of his own. Both men swing some punches in close. Hubbard hits a takedown, Rongzhu quickly starts his wall walk. They’re up, Hubbard lands a couple of knees before they separate. Rongzhu with a calf kick. Front kick from Hubbard. Bit of an uppercut from Rongzhu. Hubbard with another front kick. Left to the body from Hubbard, he’s starting to target the body a lot more this round. Another front kick from Hubbard. Counter right from Hubbard lands. Hubbard with a body kick then they split jabs. Body jab from Rongzhu. Left hook from Rongzhu. Both men land rights in close. Knee from Hubbard in close and they trade punches. Rongzhu avoids a takedown then jabs the body. Body jab then a right hand from Rongzhu. Body kick from Hubbard. Hubbard tries another takedown but Rongzhu sprawls away from it as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Hubbard, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: Rongzhu with some jabs to start the round. Front kick from Hubbard then he lands a left hook. Rongzhu lands a right hand. Jab from Hubbard. They split a few jabs then Rongzhu lands a right hand. Inside leg kick from Rongzhu. Rongzhu with an uppercut. Hubbard lands a knee and right hand in close. Right hand from Rongzhu then a body jab. They split jabs again. Right hand from Rongzhu. Again Rongzhu lands a right hand then sprawls away from a takedown. Rongzhu lands the right hand again. Both men land punches in close. They both land left hooks. Rongzhu with another left hook. Bit of a spinning back kick from Hubbard. Rongzhu sprawls away from a takedown then lands another punch. Front kick from Hubbard, then a body kick. They split jabs again. Right hand from Rongzhu then a left hook. Another right from Rongzhu lands. They split jabs a few more times. One two from Rongzhu but Hubbard fires back. Left hand then a right hook from Rongzhu. Hubbard with a knee in close then a right hand. They get close and brawl for the final few seconds of the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Rongzhu, 20-28 Rongzhu overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rongzhu via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Mic time for Rongzhu and the translator, he thanks his dad for being here to watch live. Asked about the future he thanks his team for all their work to close.
Lone’er Kavanagh is undefeated including a couple of UFC wins, now he’s getting the somewhat usual step up to a wily veteran to really suss out where Kavanagh currently stands. Charles Johnson just had a four fight winning streak broken but he’s still ranked in the division and is trying to defend that spot against a younger upstart. Kavanagh is the favorite at -250 but that +205 payout for Johnson has be a tempting value bet.
Flyweight Bout: #15 Charles Johnson (17-7, 126 lbs.) vs. Lone’er Kavanagh (9-0, 126 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Johnson has three inches of height and reach advantage, he’s also 8 years older. Johnson will do a bit of stance switching as things go. Both men probe with early low kicks. Calf kick from Kavanagh. Johnson catches a kick then lands a calf kick. Kavanagh keeps showing low kicks then lands a left hook. Head kick from Kavanagh mostly lands. Johnson avoids a punch then looks for a takedown against the fence. Kavanagh defends then lands an elbow as they break. A few more calf kicks from Kavanagh, he’s fighting very well so far. Johnson ties up and looks for trips before they hit the fence. Bit of a right from Johnson as they break. A few calf kicks from Johnson. Kavanagh with a right hand. Left hand from Kavanagh, he’s working mostly in combination thus far. Combination from Kavanagh mostly lands. Left hand from Johnson. Kavanagh lands a body kick. Left hook then a right hand from Kavanagh. Kavanagh closes the round throwing a spinning back kick.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Kavanagh
ROUND TWO: Calf kicks from Johnson to get the round going. Single leg from Johnson, Kavanagh sells out for a guillotine then uses that to wrestle around but Johnson wrestles with him and they wind up just resetting on the feet. Body kick from Johnson, then another one. Kavanagh jumps for a guillotine, he loses it but keeps a front headlock then they wrestle up and trade elbows in the clinch before Kavanagh hits an outside trip. Johnson bounces right back up into a clinch, double leg from Kavanagh but again Johnson regains his feet with Kavanagh holding his back. They get chest to chest then Johnson lands some elbows then an uppercut as they break. Front kick from Kavanagh. Johnson looks to keep the pace up and lands a couple of punches. Kavanagh might be fading just a bit after the intense wrestling exchanges. Front kicks from Johnson. Bit of a right hand from Kavanagh. Right hand from Johnson. Both men land body blows in close. Left hand from Johnson. Kavanagh has a few punches blocked. Short right from Johnson then a jab behind it. Bit of a high kick from Johnson. They tie up and Johnson digs the body over and over again before they break. A right hand from Johnson ENDS Kavanagh against the fence before the round ends.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Charles Johnson via KO, punches, at 4:35 of Round 2
Mic time for Johnson who has a penchant for handing talented prospects early career losses, he tries a little Mandarin which the crowd seems to appreciate as he reads from his phone to try and get it right. Kudos to him for that and he then does his own translation, he gave some general inspirational stuff and asked for his name to be remembered.
Maheshate has gone 2-3 in the UFC and most recently lost to Nikolas Motta, he’s looking to get his UFC record back to the .500 mark and avoid another losing streak. Gauge Young dropped his UFC debut back in April but now is back and looking for that all important first UFC win. Close one here, -140 on Young to +120 for Maheshate.
Lightweight Bout: Hayisaer Maheshate (10-4, 155 lbs.) vs. Gauge Young (9-3, 155.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Maheshate is three inches taller with an inch and a half of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. A log of moving and some stance switching from Young. A few leg kicks go back and forth then Maheshate lands a front kick. Inside leg kick from Young. Calf kick from Young. Maheshate looks to move forward and lands a right hand then a front kick. Bit of a left hook from Maheshate. Maheshate checks a calf kick. Bit of a right to the body from Maheshate then a front kick. A few more kicks go back and forth then Gauge off balances Maheshate with a counter left hand. Short right from Maheshate in close but Young responds with a flurry. We get a time out as Maheshate took a groin kick but he recovers quickly. Right hand from Maheshate to counter a calf kick. Both men land blows in close then the ref warns both men about extending their fingers. Both men then ignore that admonishment. Left to the body from Young in close. They trade calf kicks then both men fire punches in close. Double leg from Young, Maheshate quickly wall walks into a clinch. Elbow from Young, Maheshate responds with a whizzer kick but can’t finish it and they remain clinched. A few knees go back and forth. They end the round in the clinch.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Maheshate but a close one
ROUND TWO: Maheshate with a front kick then a left hook to start the round. Young got a little wobbled but he grabs a clinch then looks for a takedown against the fence. Maheshate with a knee as they jockey for position then they trade elbows on the break. Calf kick from Young. Maheshate lands a jab. Young with a right hand then Maheshate counters with a left hook. Calf kick from Maheshate then both men land in close. Glancing high kick from Young. Elbow from Maheshate. Young avoids a few punches. Stiff jab from Maheshate. They tie up and Maheshate lands a knee before they break. A few jabs go back and forth then they trade more serious punches in close. Young with a few jabs then a left hook in close. A few hooks from Young land, he’s starting to break down the defense of Maheshate. Maheshate fires a right hand in close then lands a wide left hook. Right to the body from Young. Maheshate with a right hand. Elbow from Young in close then a right hand into a takedown. Young with some elbows from top position before Maheshate gets full guard. Young passes to half guard and lands elbows then attacks an arm triangle and uses that to get to full mount. Maheshate gives up the back but he’s able to stand into a clinch as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Young, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: Young avoids a single leg to start the round. Both men with some jabs then Young lands a left hook. Calf kicks are traded. Young blocks a takedown then pushes Maheshate over and winds up getting to a clinch after they scramble around. Both men land some short blows before they break. Right hook from Young. Maheshate with an uppercut then a left hook. Young with a left hook. Combination from Young, his hands are still flowing pretty well. Maheshate with a left hook in close. Young tries a takedown, that hits the fence though and he settles for a clinch. A few short knees and elbows from Young land. They trade elbows then separate. Front kick from Young. Maheshate lands a right hand. Bit of a body kick from Young. Right hand from Young. They split jabs then clinch again. Maheshate looks for the takedown against the fence but Young defends and separates. Left hook from Young then he blocks a takedown. Right from Maheshate. Young with another combination then a knee to the body. Both men land hooks in close then Young drives things to the fence. Young avoids a whizzer kick and Young with a few knees and elbows before the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Young but a close one, 29-28 Young overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Gauge Young via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
I don’t agree with that 30-27 but can’t complain too much about it. Mic time for Gauge he knew he needed the win and prove he belongs in the UFC. He talks about needing to be well rounded in the sport but he’s happy to get the win.
Taiyilake Nueraji brings a five fight winning streak into his UFC debut, he’s been out of action for a little over a year but could end that inactivity with a win in his home country. Kiefer Crosbie has gone 0-2 in the UFC and really needs to halt that skid because an 0-3 start could end his time with the promotion. The odds are firmly with Nueraji at -500 to Crosbie’s +380.
Welterweight Bout: Kiefer Crosbie (10-5, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Taiyilake Nueraji (11-1 1 NC, 170 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Nueraji is three inches taller, has five inches of reach advantage, and is 11 years younger. Both men open southpaw and touch gloves. Side kick from Nueraji then they tie up and spin down with Nueraji winding up on top in full guard. Crosbie grabs at rubber guard then tries a few elbows off of his back. Bit of an elbow from Nueraji. Crosbie bails on rubber guard but keeps a high guard. A few more elbows from Nueraji land. Crosbie blocks a few blows but he’s lost control of posture and Nueraji keeps looking to drop bombs on him. Crosbie tries to roll for a leg but Nueraji winds up getting to full mount, though he loses it pretty quickly. Some more strikes from Nueraji as Crosbie gets full guard but he’s still eating elbows. Illegal knee from Nueraji as Crosbie was working to stand and we’ve got time out. No doubt about the illegality of that knee it went right into the face while Crosbie was still down on his knees. The doctor checks on Crosbie, the doctor says he can continue and Crosbie wants to go. The ref takes 2 points for the illegal knee, that’s fair, and we’re back to fighting. Crosbie ties up quickly and they hit the fence. Nueraji slips to the back and lands punches and elbows as he’s got Crosbie back on the mat. More elbows from Nueraji and the ref steps in to halt the fight.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Taiyilake Nueraji via TKO, elbows, at 3:33 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nueraji for his work. Mic time for Nueraji, he plays with the crowd and is glad to give them a good show. Asked about the future he wants to fight again soon and does want to become a champion but also mentions maybe moving to lightweight. Given his frame that seems unlikely but who knows.
Sumudaerji has gone 4-4 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win which halted a three fight losing streak, now he could get his first UFC winning streak since 2021 up and running. Kevin Borjas has gone just 1-2 in the UFC but he is coming off of a win and could get his first UFC winning streak going here. Fairly close one here, -170 on Sumudaerji to a +140 comeback for Borjas.
Flyweight Bout: Kevin Borjas (10-3, 126 lbs.) vs. Sumudaerji (17-7, 125.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Sumudaerji is three inches taller with five inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Sumudaerji. Both men with some kicks, just range finding mostly. Inside leg kick from Sumudaerji. Borjas blocks a high kick. Front kick from Sumudaerji. Borjas just can’t seem to navigate the range. Inside leg kick from Sumudaerji then he misses a left hand. Left hand from Sumudaerji. Borjas tries a single leg, that hits the fence though and stalls out into a clinch. Knee from Borjas. Elbow from Borjas as they break. Sumudaerji lands an inside leg kick. Another inside leg kick from Sumudaerji then a jab. Borjas avoids a wheel kick. Sumudaerji with a side kick then a bit of a hook kick and a wheel kick to close out the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sumudaerji
ROUND TWO: Pretty quickly we get a break as Borjas took a finger to the eye, the ref warns Sumudaerji about his extended fingers, he got warned in the first round as well. The doctor comes in to check on Borjas, Borjas can continue and Sumudaerji gets a hard warning because of course. They touch gloves on the restart. Sumudaerji shows more kicks. Inside leg kick from Sumudaerji. Side kick from Sumudaerji. Borjas lands a right hand. They tie up and Sumudaerji pushes things into the fence. They jockey for position then trade on the break. Borjas is looking to keep the pressure on. Left to the body from Sumudaerji. Inside leg kicks go back and forth. Bit of a right hand from Borjas then he tries a takedown but that hits the fence. They trade elbows on the break. Jabs from Sumudaerji now as he circles. A few more inside leg kicks from Sumudaerji then another jab. Spinning back kick from Sumudaerji. Borjas just has no answer for kicking range and hasn’t been able to get into boxing range consistently. They trade body work then Borjas misses some wild punches. Sumudaerji with a left to the body to basically end the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sumudaerji, 20-18 Sumudaerji overall
ROUND THREE: Borjas fights off a takedown attempt to start the round. Right hand from Borjas. They trade inside leg kicks. Sumudaerji with an inside leg kick. Left hand from Sumudaerji then a head kick partially lands. Borjas avoids a left hand. Sumudaerji with a body kick then a side kick. Borjas tries a single leg but Sumudaerji defends and they hit the fence. Things stall out there and the ref breaks them up. Bit of a high kick from Sumudaerji then a front kick. Borjas avoids a few left hands but his offense has been very muted this round. Side kick from Sumudaerji. Borjas gets a clinch and they hit the fence again. Sumudaerji avoids an inside trip. Elbow from Borjas. Elbow from Sumudaerji then he flurries a bit before they break. Sumudaerji fires a few more kicks to close out the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sumudaerji, 30-27 Sumudaerji overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sumudaerji via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Mic time for Sumudaerji and the translator, he plays with the crowd a little bit then says he’s happy to win in China and puts over the fans as well as his team for all their work.
Sergei Pavlovich has gone 7-3 in the UFC, most recently he broke a two fight losing streak and now he’s trying to defend his position while also getting back into the title picture. Waldo Cortes-Acosta is on a five fight winning streak which has seen him climb into the top 10 rankings, now he’s getting a chance to put himself into the title picture if he can best Pavlovich. The odds like Pavlovich at -260 to +215 on Cortes-Acosta.
Heavyweight Bout: #6 Waldo Cortes-Acosta (14-1, 262 lbs.) vs. #3 Sergei Pavlovich (19-3, 255.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Cortes-Acosta is an inch taller but Pavlovich has a significant six inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. A bit of hand feinting from both men. They both look to get their jabs working. A fair amount of forward motion from Pavlovich thus far, he’s getting Cortes-Acosta to the fence pretty reliably and is looking to line up offense. They bang heads then Pavlovich lands a right hand. Both men miss rights. They get close and both men swing punches but nothing quite lands. Bit of a right form Pavlovich. Again both men swing awkward punches in close that don’t really land. Both men land rights then Pavlovich fires a couple more punches before they briefly clinch then break cleanly. Right hand from Pavlovich to counter a leg kick. Both men block rights. Bit of a right uppercut from Pavlovich to counter a wild punch from Cortes-Acosta. They just kind of stare away the final seconds.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pavlovich
ROUND TWO: Pavlovich again times an uppercut to get the round going. Cortes-Acosta jabs the body. Both men miss rights. Counter right from Pavlovich lands. Pavlovich with a combination of punches that land. They both show jabs again as they’re moving around but Cortes-Acosta is getting backed up again. Pavlovich misses a left hook. Overhand right from Pavlovich then a jab behind it. Cortes-Acosta just can’t find the target with his offense and Pavlovich lands another counter right. Body kick from Pavlovich strays a little low but the ref tells them to fight on. Another body kick from Pavlovich. Both men miss rights. They trade in close then a few jabs go back and forth. They trade rights then Pavlovich lands a left hook. Hard calf kick from Pavlovich closes the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pavlovich, 20-18 Pavlovich overall
ROUND THREE: Both men come out jabbing for the last round. Cortes-Acosta misses a right hand. Bit of a right from Pavlovich. Pavlovich jabs the body then lands a body kick. Leg kick from Pavlovich. Cortes-Acosta lands a leg kick of his own. They trade a few more leg kicks then Pavlovich cracks Cortes-Acosta with a right hand. Cortes-Acosta has just eaten these punches but he’s getting hit. Pavlovich with another leg kick. Cortes-Acosta misses a couple of punches then Pavlovich lands another leg kick. Bit of a left from Pavlovich after he avoided a rush from Cortes-Acosta. Both men land rights. Cortes-Acosta blocks a right hand but Pavlovich is backing him up again and fires a left hook. Pavlovich bulls in close but declines to maintain a clinch. They both miss wild punches again. Left hook from Pavlovich hurts Cortes-Acosta but he recovers fairly quickly. Uppercut from Pavlovich then a bit of a right behind it. They split jabs. A few jabs go back and forth then Pavlovich briefly clinches. Cortes-Acosta avoids a spinning back fist. Jab from Pavlovich. Counter left from Cortes-Acosta lands. They split jabs a few times then both men swing punches in close without anything really landing before the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pavlovich, 30-27 Pavlovich overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Sergei Pavlovich via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Not sure which round could have gone to Cortes-Acosta. Mic time for Pavlovich and we’ve got the double translator action going on again, he thanks China and Russia for the support then says he was very well prepared for everything Cortes-Acosta does. Asked what he wants next he thanks everyone who’s worked with him and doesn’t really answer the question. Or at least that wasn’t translated. To close he asks for a teammate to be signed to the UFC.
Brian Ortega has twice fought for the featherweight title but he’s been out of action for almost a full year since his loss to Diego Lopes. Ortega is also the reason this became a catchweight fight, he really needs a win here to try and salvage things and likely help him move to lightweight with a little momentum. Aljamain Sterling is a former bantamweight champion but moved up to featherweight last year where he’s gone 1-1, he is coming off of a loss to Movsar Evloev but could put himself back into the title picture with an impressive win here. Between the weight issues, layoff and this being a 5 round fight it’s not surprising that Sterling is the favorite at -490 against Ortega’s +380.
Catchweight Bout: Brian Ortega (16-4 1 NC, 153 lbs.) vs. Aljamain Sterling (24-5, 153 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Ortega is an inch taller while Sterling has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men look to jab the body early. Ortega starts orthodox but will switch as he moves around. Jab from Sterling. Right hand from Sterling to counter a jab then he lands a calf kick. They trade rights in close. Ortega with a right to partially counter a calf kick. Rights go back and forth, Sterling is landing better thus far. Both men avoid a few punches. Calf kick from Sterling. Sterling keeps probing with calf kicks then lands a jab. Right hand from Sterling. Ortega misses a right hand then Sterling lands a calf kick. Sterling with a body kick. Left hook from Sterling. Ortega with a left to the body to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sterling
ROUND TWO: Sterling keeps his jab fairly active as the round begins. Calf kick from Sterling. Ortega jabs the body. Right hand from Sterling. Bit of a high kick from Ortega as Sterling has started showing spinning attacks. Jab from Sterling then Ortega lands a right hand. Both men land in close. Sterling with some more jabs as they circle. Both men are showing stance switches at this point. Bit of a right from Ortega. Sterling avoids a right hand. Sterling with a jab. Right hand from Sterling bothers the eye of Ortega, the ref wants a replay and replay shows it was a punch so we’re back to fighting fairly quickly. Calf kick from Sterling. Both men show jabs again then Ortega lands a right hand in close. They both throw middle kicks to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sterling, 20-18 Sterling overall
ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the round. Calf kick from Sterling then they trade rights. Darting right hand from Sterling. Ortega is being a bit more aggressive this round and seems to finally be pulling the trigger a little more reliably. Inside leg kick from Ortega. Sterling takes a groin kick but just waves off a time out. Body kick from Ortega. Another body kick from Ortega. Sterling with a left hand. Ortega lands a calf kick. Sterling with a right hand after opting out of a single leg attempt. Both men land punches in close. Sterling with jabs while he’s circling. Jab from Ortega. Calf kick from Sterling briefly sweeps Ortega but he’s up immediately. Some more darting punches from Sterling. Ortega lands a leg kick. Calf kick from Sterling. Bit of a high kick from Sterling. Leg kick from Ortega. Sterling keeps jabbing and circling, he’s fighting very well. Ortega avoids a knee but can’t get a takedown. Right hand from Ortega, Sterling responds with a spinning back elbow as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sterling but Ortega started coming on during it, 30-27 Sterling overall
ROUND FOUR: Sterling back to circling and jabbing. Ortega looks to pressure forward. A few lefts from Sterling land. Bit of a left hook from Sterling. Ortega lands a jab. Bit of a right from Ortega. Sterling with a right to the body. Left hand from Sterling. Again Sterling lands a darting right hand. Left hand from Ortega. They split jabs. Calf kick from Sterling then Ortega lands punches into a clinch. A few knees from Sterling as he’s got Ortega on the fence. Outside trip from Sterling and he gets on top in full guard. Sterling is just keeping tight pressure, he’s not looking to posture or pass. Ortega lands an elbow from his back. Now Sterling postures up and they trade strikes on the mat to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Sterling, 40-36 Sterling overall
ROUND FIVE: Ortega gets back to moving forward but he really can’t find the target with his punches reliably. Right hand from Ortega. Body jab from Ortega then he misses a right hand. Jab from Sterling. They tie up and hit the fence then trade punches before breaking. Sterling sprawls away from a takedown then Ortega pulls full guard. A few punches from Sterling land then they wrestle up and break out of a clinch. Ortega with a right to the body. Right hand from Ortega stuns Sterling for a second. More pressure from Ortega, Sterling is circling and not looking to engage right now. The ref warns Sterling for failure to engage, I’m happy to see more of those. Left hand from Sterling. Ortega keeps coming forward and punches in close then lands an elbow. Sterling avoids a punch and gets the back then rides Ortega down to a knee. One hook in for Sterling then he loses the back but gets on top in full guard. Ortega tries a triangle choke but can’t find it, he lands hammer fists trying to open up the attack but isn’t finding it yet. Sterling swings punches of his own then fires hammer fists. Sterling nearly gets the back but stays on top landing punches as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Ortega but could go to Sterling, 49-46 Sterling overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Aljamain Sterling via unanimous decision (50-45 x3)
No issues with that at all, apart from the fight being kind of dull. Mic time for Sterling, he admits he’s faded down the stretch in the past but he’s working on it and hopes the fans enjoyed the fight. In general it doesn’t sound like they did. Asked what he wants next he wants a title shot. Seems unlikely but might as well put it out there.
Johnny Walker has gone 1-2 with 1 No Contest in his last three fights, he’s currently on a two fight losing streak, has been out of action since June of last year, and his last win was over Anthony Smith in 2023. Walker really needs to get some positive momentum with a win. Zhang Mingyang is on a 12 fight winning streak including being 3-0 in the UFC with all three of those being first round finishes, he’s cracked the top 15 rankings with all of that momentum and now looks to move up another spot or two with a win. Zhang is a fairly hefty favorite at -370 to Walker’s +295.
Light Heavyweight Bout: #13 Johnny Walker (21-9 1 NC, 206 lbs.) vs. #14 Zhang Mingyang (19-6, 205 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Walker is four inches taller with a significant six and a half inches of reach advantage. Fake glove touch from Walker and Zhang gets on top in full guard. A few short elbows from Zhang land. Walker is able to regain his feet and they reset at distance. Walker shows some kicks while circling. Zhang avoids a right hand and lands a bit of a counter. Left hook from Zhang then a right but Walker then clinches up. They trade some knees on the fence, Walker is keeping Zhang pinned there so far. They trade strikes on the break. Jabs from Walker as he circles then he lands a calf kick. Zhang jabs the body. Right hand from Zhang. Walker tries a double leg but Zhang defends then lands an elbow. Front kick from Walker. Zhang misses a few punches then lands a calf kick. Glancing high kick from Zhang. Walker misses a right hand as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Zhang
ROUND TWO: Zhang gets back on the pressure to start the round. Walker shows some leg kicks while circling. Zhang with a calf kick, Walker returns it. Bit of a left from Zhang. Zhang with a right hand. Calf kick from Zhang. Walker with a calf kick. Calf kick from Zhang again. They keep trading calf kicks, Zhang’s leg is hurt now and he’s down. Walker gets on top and swings punches from the back. Zhang wrestles up towards a single leg but Walker pushes him back over and keeps looking to unload. Zhang just covers up and the ref waves it off.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Johnny Walker via TKO, punches, at 2:37 of Round 2
Mic time for Walker, he plays with the crowd a little bit then gets a little confused by Bisping’s questions. He says he didn’t take too much from when they trained together, that’s just training not the real thing. He wants to make a run to the title and specifically says he’d like Jan Blachowicz next. To close he puts over Zhang.
On that note UFC on ESPN+ 115 comes to a close. We’ll be breaking down all the fallout from this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA podcast. The UFC is taking a week off next week but in 2 weeks they’ll be in Paris for Imavov vs. Borralho, a very relevant middleweight fight. Also on that card is Benoit Saint Denis vs. Mauricio Ruffy which should also be good. I’ll be back in two weeks for that and I hope you will too. Until then thank you so much for reading, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.
