Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

UFC Shanghai adds violent fight featuring undefeated striker

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Mathew Riddle | Last updated Jul 30, 2025 7:49 PM ET

UFC Shanghai is smoking hot, with the addition of a banger flyweight matchup featuring one of the most promising undefeated prospects in the promotion.

The August 23 Fight Night features a light heavyweight main event between prolific finishers Mingyang Zhang and Johnny Walker. In the co-main, former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling welcomes a stiff test in Brian Ortega.

As well as featuring a host of Chinese talent, the card will play center stage to an essential flyweight eliminator match.

Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

Lone'er Kavanagh returns against Charles Johnson at UFC Shanghai

UFC announced on July 30 that perennial flyweight contender Charles Johnson will fight up-and-coming 9-0 prospect Lone'er Kavanagh at UFC Shanghai.

Kavanagh is 2-0 inside the Octagon, scoring gritty decision wins against Felipe dos Santos and Jose Ochoa, two very legitimate flyweight prospects. Johnson will be looking to play upset, last having his four-fight winning streak broken by Ramazan Temirov in March.

Flyweight Fireworks #UFCShanghai

Lone'er Kavanagh vs Charles Johnson pic.twitter.com/U1EBqmekV2
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 30, 2025

Johnson is 3-2 as a UFC underdog, with notable wins over future No. 1-contender Joshua Van, as well as then-undefeated Azat Maksum. The winner of Johnson-Kavanagh will surely be looking at a crack at the rankings in their next performance.

With the addition of this fight, UFC Shanghai is up to eleven fights, subject to change: