UFC 319 wrapped up in Chicago with a bang as p4p top contender Khamzat Chimaev dominated Dricus Du Plessis to claim the middleweight title. While UFC 320 isn’t going live until October, fans won’t have to wait long for more action. This weekend, the UFC Shanghai is set to make its mark for the first time in nearly eight years with an exciting Fight Night card on August 23 at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium. The event will be headlined by a high-stakes light heavyweight clash with modest fighter payouts between Johnny Walker and Zhang Mingyang, with a stacked co-main featuring veterans Aljamain Sterling vs. Brian Ortega.
Of course, beyond the fights themselves, there’s another storyline fans can’t resist: fighter payouts. When the dust settles, who will walk away with the biggest check?
UFC Shanghai: Projected Fighter Payouts for Johnny Walker, Zhang Mingyang, Aljamain Sterling & Brian Ortega
In the main event, light heavyweight finishers collide as Johnny Walker takes on rising prospect Zhang Mingyang. Walker, a seasoned Top 15 contender, is eager to snap a two-fight skid and use his experience to halt Zhang’s rapid rise. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Zhang has stormed into the rankings with three straight first-round finishes, including a brutal stoppage that retired veteran Anthony Smith.
Financially, Walker earned around $131,000 in his UFC 294 bout against Magomed Ankalaev and roughly $100,000 in their rematch. As the headliner in Shanghai, he’s expected to bring in about $150,000. Zhang, who earned $50,000 in base pay plus a $50,000 performance bonus for his UFC Kansas finish of Smith, could also see his earnings approach the $100,000 mark if he delivers another standout performance in front of his home fans.
ALSO READ: UFC 319 Fighter Payouts: How Much Will the Headliners Earn?
In the co-main event, it’s No. 4 vs. No. 7 in the featherweight division as Aljamain Sterling faces Brian Ortega. Ortega returns for the first time since his UFC 306 loss to Diego Lopes. Despite a 2-4 record in his last six outings, his setbacks have only come against elite opponents like Max Holloway, Alexander Volkanovski, Yair Rodríguez, and Lopes.
Sterling is set to make his third appearance at 145 pounds and is eager to solidify his spot in the division after a dominant win over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 and a close loss to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310. When it comes to pay, Ortega earned around $265,000 in his loss to Lopes and roughly $300,000 in his UFC 266 title fight with Volkanovski, meaning a victory in Shanghai could net him between $250,000 and $300,000.
Sterling, meanwhile, banked $320,000 in his loss to Evloev, $500,000 for his win over Kattar, and a career-high $600,000 in his bantamweight title loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292, which had big fighter payouts. A win this weekend could see him take home approximately $400,000.
UFC Shanghai: Projected Fighter Payouts for Sergei Pavlovich, Waldo Cortes Acosta, Kevin Borjas & More
Sergei Pavlovich and Waldo Cortes Acosta clash in a pivotal Top 10 heavyweight bout with title implications on the line. The Russian is ranked No. 3 and made waves with six straight first-round knockouts before falling to Tom Aspinall in their interim title fight at UFC 295 and later to Alexander Volkov. He bounced back in February with a solid win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik and now looks to stay in the title mix. Waldo Cortes Acosta, one of the brightest prospects to emerge from Dana White’s Contender Series, enters Shanghai riding a five-fight winning streak and aiming to crack the heavyweight Top 5.
The Russian powerhouse earned roughly $600,000 for his interim title loss to Aspinall, followed by about $110,000 in his defeat to Alexander Volkov. He bounced back strongly with a win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, pocketing approximately $250,000 at UFC Saudi Arabia earlier this year.
As a featured fighter in Shanghai, Pavlovich is expected to earn between $200,000 and $220,000. Acosta, meanwhile, earned around $125,000 for his dominant win over Serghei Spivac at UFC 316 and could see that number rise to $150,000 if he pulls off the upset this weekend.
In flyweight action, Kevin Borjas takes on Su Mudaerji in what promises to be a fast-paced matchup. Borjas, who earned about $16,000 in his UFC 295 loss to the next flyweight title challenger Joshua Van, also collected 20 percent of opponent Ronaldo Rodriguez’s purse, adding roughly $20,000 to his total. For his efforts in Shanghai, Borjas is expected to make around $15,000.
Kicking off the main card, Keifer Crosbie faces Taiyilake Nueraji in a compelling lightweight opener. Crosbie, 35, earned around $20,000 in his UFC 304 loss to Sam Patterson and could see his payday climb to $30,000 if he secures a win in Shanghai. With big opportunities and lucrative paydays on the line, UFC Shanghai is shaping up to deliver excitement from the opening bout to the heavyweight headliner.
