UFC Fight Night 257: Walker vs. Zhang, set for August 23, 2025, at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium in Shanghai, features a high-level catchweight showdown at 153 pounds between #5-ranked featherweight Brian Ortega and former bantamweight champion, now #7-ranked featherweight, Aljamain Sterling. The matchup pairs Ortega’s dangerous submission game against Sterling’s relentless wrestling and control-oriented style.
Brian Ortega
Brian “T-City” Ortega (16–4, 1 NC) is one of the UFC’s most decorated submission specialists, with eight submission wins on his record. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Rener Gracie, Ortega is known for his ability to snatch submissions in transitions, particularly his guillotine and triangle chokes. He also brings underrated striking, having scored notable knockouts over Frankie Edgar and Clay Guida.
Ortega has twice fought for the UFC featherweight title, falling short against Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski in Fight of the Night performances. More recently, he rebounded from injury setbacks to defeat Yair Rodríguez via submission but then lost a decision to rising contender Diego Lopes. Weight-cut complications led to this fight being shifted to a catchweight.
Brian Ortega – Last 5 Fights:
1. Loss vs. Diego Lopes – Decision (Unanimous) – UFC 306, September 14, 2024
2. Win vs. Yair Rodríguez – Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) – UFC FN, February 24, 2024
3. Loss vs. Yair Rodríguez – TKO (Shoulder Injury) – UFC on ABC, July 16, 2022
4. Loss vs. Alexander Volkanovski – Decision (Unanimous) – UFC 266, September 25, 2021 – UFC Featherweight Title
5. Win vs. Chan Sung Jung – Decision (Unanimous) – UFC FN, October 18, 2020
For Ortega to win, he needs to keep the fight scrappy, capitalize on scrambles, and look for submissions any time Sterling leaves an opening. His striking will need to be sharp to create setups for his grappling threats.
Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling (24–5) is the former UFC bantamweight champion and one of the division’s most accomplished fighters. A strong wrestler with dangerous back control, Sterling has eight submission victories and has outpaced elite opponents with his smothering grappling and volume striking.
Sterling defended his bantamweight title three times, including wins over Petr Yan, T.J. Dillashaw, and Henry Cejudo, before moving up to featherweight in 2024. He defeated Calvin Kattar in his divisional debut but lost to Movsar Evloev in his last outing. This catchweight clash gives him a chance to reset and prove he belongs in the featherweight elite.
Aljamain Sterling – Last 5 Fights:
1. Loss vs. Movsar Evloev – Decision (Unanimous) – UFC 310, December 7, 2024
2. Win vs. Calvin Kattar – Decision (Unanimous) – UFC 300, April 13, 2024
3. Loss vs. Sean O’Malley – TKO (Punches) – UFC 292, August 19, 2023 – Lost UFC Bantamweight Title
4. Win vs. Henry Cejudo – Decision (Split) – UFC 288, May 6, 2023 – UFC Bantamweight Title Defense
5. Win vs. T.J. Dillashaw – TKO (Punches) – UFC 280, October 22, 2022 – UFC Bantamweight Title Defense
Sterling’s best path to victory is mixing his jab with takedown attempts, pushing Ortega against the fence, and wearing him down with top control. Avoiding prolonged striking exchanges and staying cautious of Ortega’s submission traps will be key.
Prediction
This fight is a stylistic chess match between Ortega’s submission threat and Sterling’s wrestling control. Ortega is always dangerous, especially in scrambles, but his durability has been tested in recent years, and Sterling’s wrestling-heavy pace could make it difficult for him to find openings.
Expect Sterling to dictate where the fight takes place, avoid Ortega’s best submission attempts, and steadily rack up control time and points.
Prediction: Aljamain Sterling def. Brian Ortega via Decision (Unanimous)
A win here would stabilize Sterling’s run at featherweight and keep him in the top-10 mix, while Ortega will look to regroup and manage his weight issues if he comes up short.