UFC Fight Night 257: Uran Satybaldiev vs Diyar Nurgozhay Preview & Prediction
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The UFC’s Fight Night 257 preliminary card kicks off at light heavyweight as Kyrgyzstan’s Uran Satybaldiev takes on Kazakh striker Diyar Nurgozhay.
Uran Satybaldiev vs Diyar Nurgozhay facts
What time are Uran Satybaldiev and Diyar Nurgozhay expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night 257: Walker vs Zhang? Shanghai Indoor Stadium, Shanghai, China
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 257: Walker vs Zhang? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 257
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night 257: Walker vs Zhang on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 257: Walker vs Zhang? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 257: Walker vs Zhang main card
Johnny Walker vs Zhang Mingyang (Light Heavyweight)
Brian Ortega vs Aljamain Sterling (Featherweight)
Sergei Pavlovich vs Waldo Cortes-Acosta (Heavyweight)
Su Mudaerji vs Kevin Borjas (Flyweight)
Taiyilake Nueraji vs Kiefer Crosbie (Welterweight)
UFC Fight Night 257: Walker vs Zhang prelims
Maheshate Hayisaer vs Gauge Young (Lightweight)
Lone'er Kavanagh vs Charles Johnson (Flyweight)
Rong Zhu vs Austin Hubbard (Lightweight)
Michel Pereira vs Kyle Daukaus (Middleweight)
Yi Zha vs Westin Wilson (Featherweight)
Xiao Long vs You Su-young (Bantamweight)
Uran Satybaldiev vs Diyar Nurgozhay (Light Heavyweight)
Uran Satybaldiev: Kyrgyz warrior looking to make his mark
At 31 years old, Uran Satybaldiev (9-1) comes into this bout eager to establish himself properly in the UFC. He made his promotional debut on short notice against Martin Buday, stepping up a weight class to heavyweight. Despite dropping a unanimous decision, Satybaldiev showed resilience against a solid opponent, and there was little shame in that defeat. Before entering the UFC, he was unbeaten with a nine-fight winning streak.
With 67% of his career wins coming via knockout, Satybaldiev is not the most technically refined fighter, but he makes up for that with grit and pressure. He thrives on outworking opponents, forcing them against the cage and setting a good pace. Toughness and determination are his biggest weapons, and his willingness to scrap makes him a solid test for anyone still trying to find their footing inside the Octagon.
Diyar Nurgozhay: Kazakh striker desperate to bounce back
Diyar Nurgozhay (10-1) also stumbled in his UFC debut, suffering a second-round submission loss to Brendson Ribeiro via kimura. It was a disappointing showing for the 28-year-old, who had entered the organisation unbeaten and riding a ten-fight winning streak. His highlight before signing with the UFC was an impressive head-kick knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series, which earned him his shot on the big stage.
With 60% of his victories coming by knockout, Nurgozhay is a dangerous striker when he finds his rhythm. However, his UFC debut raised major concerns. He struggled both on the feet and on the mat, with poor takedown defence and limited answers once pressured. While he has clear offensive power, his lack of grappling ability and defensive lapses could be a serious problem at this level.
Uran Satybaldiev vs Diyar Nurgozhay prediction
Both men are still young in their UFC journeys, but Satybaldiev showed far more promise in his debut, especially given the circumstances of moving up a weight class on short notice. By contrast, Nurgozhay looked out of his depth, offering little resistance in either striking or grappling exchanges against Ribeiro.
I think Satybaldiev will outwork Nurgozhay and is the more obvious choice to win this fight.
Prediction: Uran Satybaldiev to win
