The UFC is back in China with a rising light heavyweight star at the top of the bill.

UFC Fight Night 257 (ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai.

Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

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Kiefer Crosbie vs. Taiyilake Nueraji

Records: Crosbie (10-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC), Nueraji (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Odds (as of 08.22.25): Crosbie +385, Nueraji -500

Junkie pick results: Nueraji 11, Crosbie 0

Kevin Borjas vs. Su Mudaerji

Records: Borjas (10-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Mudaerji (17-7 MMA, 4-4 UFC)

Odds (as of 08.22.25): Borjas +150, Mudaerji -180

Junkie pick results: Mudaerji 6, Borjas 5

Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Sergei Pavlovich

Records: Cortes-Acosta (14-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC), Pavlovich (19-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC)

Rankings: Pavlovich No. 5, Cortes-Acosta No. 8

Odds (as of 08.22.25): Cortes-Acosta +190, Pavlovich -250

Junkie pick results: Pavlovich 8, Cortes-Acosta 3

Brian Ortega vs. Aljamain Sterling

Records: Ortega (16-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC), Sterling (24-5 MMA, 16-5 UFC)

Rankings: Ortega No. 5, Sterling No. 12

Odds (as of 08.22.25): Ortega +300, Sterling -375

Junkie pick results: Sterling 11, Ortega 0

Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang

Records: Walker (21-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC), Mingyang (19-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC)

Division: Light heavyweight

Rankings: Mingyang No. 15, Walker honorable mention

Odds (as of 08.22.25): Walker +280, Mingyang -350

Junkie pick results: Mingyang 10, Walker 1

Individual staff member picks, main card

Readers 120-75: Mingyang (80%), Sterling (68%), Pavlovich (75%), Mudaerji (55%), Nueraji (80%)

Ken Hathaway 126-69: Mingyang, Sterling, Pavlovich, Mudaerji, Nueraji

Nolan King 126-69: Mingyang, Sterling, Pavlovich, Mudaerji, Nueraji

Mike Bohn 126-69: Mingyang, Sterling, Pavlovich, Mudaerji, Nueraji

Abbey Subhan 122-73: Mingyang, Sterling, Pavlovich, Borjas, Nueraji

Farah Hannoun 122-73: Mingyang, Sterling, Pavlovich, Borjas, Nueraji

Simon Samano 119-76: Mingyang, Sterling, Cortes-Acosta, Mudaerji, Nueraji

Brian Garcia 118-77: Mingyang, Sterling, Pavlovich, Borjas, Nueraji

Matt Erickson 117-78: Mingyang, Sterling, Cortes-Acosta, Mudaerji, Nueraji

Danny Segura 115-80: Mingyang, Sterling, Cortes-Acosta, Borjas, Nueraji

Matthew Wells 113-82: Mingyang, Sterling, Pavlovich, Mudaerji, Nueraji

George Garcia 107-88: Walker, Sterling, Pavlovich, Borjas, Nueraji

Preliminary card picks

Although they don’t count toward the standings, MMA Junkie staff members still pick the fights on the prelims. Here are the results:

Hayisaer Maheshate vs. Gauge Young: Maheshate 10, Young 1

Charles Johnson vs. Lone’er Kavanagh: Kavanagh 9, Johnson 2

Austin Hubbard vs. Rong Zhu: Zhu 9, Hubbard 2

Kyle Daukaus vs. Michel Pereira: Pereira 10, Daukaus 1

Yi Zha vs. Westin Wilson: Zha 6, Wilson 5

Xiao Long vs. SuYoung You: You 11, Long 0

Diyar Nurgozhay vs. Uran Satybaldiev: Satybaldiev 7, Nurgozhay 4

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Shanghai predictions: Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang