The UFC had not been to mainland China since prior to the coronavirus pandemic, but that changed with Saturday’s UFC Shanghai, kicked off by Uran Satybaldiev vs. Diyar Nurgozhay at light heavyweight.
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 inside the UFC octagon.
Official Result: Uran Satybaldiev def. Diyar Nurgozhay by submission (Ezekiel choke), Round 1, 2:45
