Brian Ortega vs Aljamain Sterling at UFC Shanghai is now a 153-lb catchweight. Get the latest weigh-in twist, start times, odds shifts, and keys to victory.
TL;DR (for searchers in a hurry)
- Fight: Brian Ortega vs Aljamain Sterling — co-main, five rounds
- Event: UFC Shanghai (Mercedes-Benz Arena)
- When (ET): Prelims 3:00 a.m. ET, Main card 6:00 a.m. ET (Sat, Aug 23, 2025)
- Late twist: Moved from featherweight to a 153-lb catchweight after weigh-ins; both hit 153 lbs.
- Odds movement: Books widened in favor of Sterling after the weight drama.
Why this matchup matters
Brian Ortega (long-time featherweight contender) and Aljamain Sterling (former bantamweight champion now campaigning up the scale) finally meet in a stylistic chess match: elite grappling pedigrees, evolving striking, and five-round cardio questions at altitude—only now it comes with a late weight-class change. The UFC confirmed the bout would proceed above featherweight after both men weighed 153 lbs, with no official reason given beyond the switch.
The Shanghai card itself is a global-prime-time experiment, headlined by Johnny Walker vs Zhang Mingyang, with the main card at 6 a.m. ET on ESPN+ in the U.S. That early slot makes this co-main a breakfast-time fight for American viewers and a primetime theater for fans in China.
The catchweight curveball: what changed and why it matters
- Original plan: Ortega vs Sterling at featherweight (145).
- New plan: 153-lb catchweight (both on the scale at 153).
Late weight changes are not unprecedented for Ortega. He’s had well-documented struggles with the 145-lb cut (including the 2024 International Fight Week fiasco when a scheduled bout was scrapped hours before walkout after a last-minute illness). That history loomed over fight week as rumors flew before the UFC formally shifted this contest to catchweight.
Competitive impact: Books reacted swiftly—Sterling’s price widened after the scale drama, implying bettors believe the disruption favors the former champ. For Ortega, the extra pounds could help durability and output, but the optics of a difficult cut may hint at compromised prep.
Start time, where to watch, and key logistics
- Venue: Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai, China.
- U.S. Broadcast: ESPN+ (prelims approx. 3:00 a.m. ET; main card 6:00 a.m. ET).
- Co-main format: Five rounds (non-title). Sterling even voiced some reluctance about the five-round ask during fight week.
Form guide & recent context
- Brian Ortega — Top-tier submission threat with battle-tested cardio in five-rounders (think Holloway/Volkanovski wars). He’s flirted with a permanent move to 155, and the UFC acknowledged he and Sterling weighed 153 ahead of this Shanghai showdown.
- Aljamain Sterling — A dominant former 135-lb champion whose style scales up: wrestling chain attacks, back-takes, and control heavy rounds. Moving higher means less size cut, potentially better gas tank and durability through five. (UFC co-main preview underscores the matchup stakes.)
Note on 2024–25 turbulence: Ortega’s weight-cut issues re-entered the discourse after a previous fight day cancellation (the opponent had agreed to a change, but Ortega fell ill). That history likely informed oddsmakers’ risk models this week.
Tale of the tape (what actually matters here)
- Grappling credentials:
- Ortega: Guillotines, mounted triangles, opportunistic snatch-subs in scrambles.
- Sterling: Mat returns, rear-naked choke pathways, suffocating top pressure.
- Striking progression:
- Ortega: Cleaner boxing in recent years; pocket counters and step-in elbows.
- Sterling: Range-management jabs, kicks to regulate tempo, entries behind straight shots.
- Five-round questions at 153:
- Ortega: Extra weight may improve durability; unknown if the late change patches any depletion.
- Sterling: Less cut could mean higher pace over R3-R5—key if he leans on mat returns and ride time.
Keys to victory
For Brian Ortega
- Scramble traps over set shots: Ortega thrives when exchanges get chaotic—look for front-headlock sequences turning into snatch guillotines if Sterling shoots sloppy or fatigued.
- Pocket checks with counters: Sterling’s forward pressure opens check hooks and short uppercuts; Ortega must strike off the exit without getting squared up.
- Damage early, threats late: If there was any drain from fight-week chaos, he’ll need front-loaded moments to put Sterling behind on cards.
For Aljamain Sterling
- Mat returns + back exposure: Classic Aljo—chain wrestle, ride, peel wrists, and work to the back. Rounds can evaporate against his top game.
- Kick the legs and body at range: Dial down Ortega’s forward bursts and sprawl speed with calf and body kicks before level changes.
- Don’t chase a finish: Five rounds favor his attritional style, especially after the weight drama; bank control and sap Ortega’s scrambles.
Brian Ortega and Aljamain Sterling face off for #UFCShanghai after their fight was shifted to a 153-pound catchweight.
🎥 @UFC pic.twitter.com/WiX9c1sN9o
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 22, 2025
Betting & market temperature
Pre-drama, Sterling already had the edge. After the catchweight announcement, Sterling’s line widened (reports cited moves from roughly -275 to ~-380), while Ortega lengthened to +300 territory at some books. Markets are reading the disruption as a Sterling advantage, particularly over five rounds.
What each man is fighting for
- Ortega: Stay in the top-of-the-bill conversation at 145/155 and rewrite the weight-cut narrative with a statement performance. The UFC’s official preview framed this as a pivotal co-main with divisional consequences.
- Sterling: A marquee win at a higher weight instantly legitimizes his run outside 135—and positions him for elite names at 145/155 depending on how he and the UFC want to steer the next step. (He’s voiced opinions about format and timing, but he’s clearly game.)