Brian Ortega vs. Aljamain Sterling is now a catchweight fight after a twist at UFC Shanghai official weigh-ins.

Between those bouts, he outpointed Chan Sung Jung, and since his second title-fight loss, he is 1-2. In 2022, Ortega suffered an injury in a defeat by Yair Rodriguez, whom he submitted in their February 2024 rematch before losing to Lopes in September.

Aljamain Sterling vs. Brian Ortega survives chaos after Ortega medical scare, fight revived at 153 catchweight in dramatic MMA twist.

In a fight that saw a major last-minute change, does Brian Ortega or Aljamain Sterling have the edge at UFC Shanghai?

Brian Ortega (16-4) and Aljamain Sterling (24-5) will now fight at the 155-pound lightweight limit, after both fighters weighed in at 153 pounds on Friday.

Brian Ortega and Aljamain Sterling will fight at UFC Fight Night in Shanghai on August 23, 2025. Originally set for featherweight, both weighed 153 pounds on Friday, so the bout was moved to a 155-pound catchweight.

Aljamain Sterling has hit out at a “kind of stupid” rule in his UFC Shanghai fight with Brian Ortega this weekend. On Saturday (23 August), Sterling will face Ortega in a five-round co-main event, as each man looks to push towards a featherweight title shot.

Former featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega is not out of his co-main event bout against Aljamain Sterling despite reports.

The South Bay star spent part of the year “traveling to train” ahead of Saturday’s Shanghai showdown with the former bantamweight champion.

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