UFC Fight Night 257: Nueraji Debuts Against Crosbie in Shanghai

SHANGHAI, China — Taiyilake Nueraji will make his UFC debut on Saturday as he faces Kiefer Crosbie in the main card opener at UFC Fight Night 257 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The welterweight bout is set to kick off the main card at approximately 6:15 a.m. ET on August 21, 2025.

Nueraji, a local fighter from China, enters this fight with a five-fight winning streak and a professional record of 11-1-0, including 10 knockouts. He aims to make an immediate impact in the UFC’s welterweight division. Crossed, on the other hand, is looking for his first victory in the promotion after suffering two first-round submission losses since joining the UFC in 2023.

This matchup marks an unexpected chance for Crosbie, who was initially scheduled to fight Kenan Song. Nueraji, trained with fellow Chinese fighters, brings an all-action style, known for his striking output averaging 11.01 significant strikes per minute.

Crosbie, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, has struggled in his recent outings. He has relocated to Xtreme Couture MMA in Las Vegas to improve his fight game. “I’ll be curious to see what Crosbie’s work with Eric Nicksick will produce,” commented Dan Tom, an MMA Junkie analyst.

Nueraji is currently a heavy favorite, with betting odds at Nueraji (-500) and Crosbie (+385) via FanDuel. While analysts favor Nueraji, Tom cautioned that betting against Crosbie could be risky, given the unpredictable nature of MMA.

As the anticipation builds for this exciting matchup, fans will be eager to see if Nueraji can live up to his billing or if Crosbie can find his footing in the octagon.