UFC returned to mainland China with UFC Shanghai, headlined by Johnny Walker versus Zhang Mingyang. Uran Satybaldiev and Diyar Nurgozhay opened the prelims, each seeking a first UFC victory. Satybaldiev had previously debuted at heavyweight against Martin Buday. Nurgozhay had been submitted by Brendson Ribeiro and had missed weight in that contest. Early in the first round, Satybaldiev dropped Nurgozhay about 90 seconds in and moved to top position. Satybaldiev pursued a kimura before transitioning to a rare Ezekiel choke from the top, forcing a tap at 2:45 of round one.
As it happened, the Shanghai show would be opened and closed by the 205lb division, with Johnny Walker and China's own Zhang Mingyang headlining. Saturday's prelim opener, however, found both Kyrgyzstan's Satybaldiev and Kazakhstan's Nurgozhay looking to pick up their first UFC win. Satybaldiev had debuted up a weight class in a heavyweight scrap with Martin Buday, while Nurgozhay had been submitted by Brazilian Brendson Ribeiro in a fight that had seen the Kazakh miss weight.
Nurgozhay and Satybaldiev circled early as the action got underway, trading the occasional low kick and single strikes. Satybaldiev held center, and about 90 seconds in, dropped Nurgozhay! From there, Satybaldiev got on top, and chased a kimura, which Nurgozhay escaped. From there, showing shades of Aleksei Oleinik, he slowed wrapped up an Ezekiel choke from the top! Nurgozhay tapped, and that was the fight, a rarely seen Ezekiel choke finish to kick off UFC Shanghai and give Uran Satybaldiev his first win.
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