The octagon touches down in Shanghai for just the second time in company history on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 257, which goes down at Mercedes-Benz Arena and streams on ESPN+.
Light heavyweights headline the card, with Johnny Walker (21-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) testing Zhang Mingyang (19-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in a matchup with high knockout potential.
For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts from UFC Fight Night 257.
Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang
Walker is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning back fist. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN+ 2.
Walker is one of two fighters in UFC history to win a light heavyweight bout by knockout stemming from a flying knee. James Irvin also accomplished the feat.
Walker is one of six fighters in modern UFC history to win a light heavyweight bout by knockout in 15 seconds or less. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN+ 2.
Mingyang has earned all 19 of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished all of those wins in Round 1.
Mingyang’s three-fight UFC knockout streak is tied with Tom Aspinall, Ilia Topuria and Dominick Reyes for the longest streak among active fighters on the roster.
Brian Ortega vs. Aljamain Sterling
Brian Ortega (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has earned 10 of his 16 career victories by stoppage. That includes seven of his eight UFC wins.
Ortega’s seven stoppage victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied with Ricardo Lamas and Cub Swanson for second-most in divisional history behind Max Holloway (11).
Ortega’s four submission victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Charles Oliveira (six).
Ortega is the only fighter in UFC history to earn four consecutive third-round stoppage victories.
Aljamain Sterling (24-5 MMA, 16-5 UFC) is one of six fighters in UFC history to hold the undisputed bantamweight title.
Sterling’s three consecutive UFC bantamweight title defenses are most by any champion in divisional history.
Sterling’s four victories in UFC bantamweight title fights are tied for second-most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (five).
Sterling’s total fight time of 3:55:40 in UFC bantamweight competition is the most in divisional history.
Sterling’s 14 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.
Sterling’s four submission victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Urijah Faber (six) and Rani Yahya (six).
Sterling is 1-1 since he moved up to the featherweight division in April 2024.
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Sergei Pavlovich’s (18-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) six-fight UFC knockout streak, which ended at UFC 295, is tied with Don Frye for second-longest in company history behind Chuck Liddell (seven).
Pavlovich’s average fight time of 4:47 in UFC heavyweight competition is the second-shortest among active fighters in the weight class behind Aspinall (2:02).
Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s (14-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Cortes-Acosta has earned five of his seven UFC victories by decision.
Su Mudaerji vs. Kevin Borjas
Su Mudaerji (17-7 MMA, 4-4 UFC) is 3-2 since he dropped to the UFC flyweight division in November 2020.
Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Charles Johnson
Charles Johnson (17-7 MMA, 6-5 UFC) was one of three fighters to earn four UFC victories in 2024. Carlos Prates and Joaquin Buckley also accomplished the feat.
Michel Pereira vs. Kyle Daukaus
Michel Pereira (30-13 MMA, 9-4 UFC) is 3-2 since he moved up to the middleweight division in October 2023.
Kyle Daukaus (15-4 MMA, 2-4 UFC) returns to the UFC for the first time since December 2022. He went 4-0 between stints with the promotion.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.
