Aljamain Sterling vs Brian Ortega officially changed to catchweight fight

Tomorrow night’s Aljamain Sterling vs Brian Ortega fight will now take place at a catchweight of 153 pounds.

This weekend, Aljamain Sterling and Brian Ortega will meet in what was set to be a crucial featherweight contest. Both men have got ambitions of going after another title shot, and both men are known for being pretty solid on the ground. It has the potential to be one of the most intriguing bouts of the year, and it’ll take place in the co-main event of UFC Shanghai.

RELATED: Brian Ortega is ready for a war with Aljamain Sterling at UFC Shanghai

Sterling is a former bantamweight world champion, whereas Ortega has tried and failed to claim the featherweight title on a few different occasions. It was shaping up to be a really important fight and while that’s still the case, things have suddenly gotten a bit more complicated.

That’s because the Sterling/Ortega fight has been changed to a catchweight, and you’d have to imagine it has something to do with how Ortega looked on the scales.

Originally scheduled as a featherweight bout, Brian Ortega and Aljamain Sterling’s bout will now be contested at a catchweight of 153 pounds.

They both hit the scale at 153 pounds. #UFCShanghai pic.twitter.com/2dNPfFoLoA

— UFC (@ufc) August 22, 2025

Ortega vs Sterling officially set for catchweight fight

Of course, the masses will immediately wonder how this is going to impact Ortega’s performance. It’s no secret that he’s had problems with his weight in the past, and although he’s overcome bigger obstacles before, this is a tough situation to be in when you’re going up against Aljamain Sterling.

Either way, we can just hope that both men make it safely to the Octagon tomorrow night.

Who are you backing to pick up the win in this fight and why? Let us know, BJPENN Nation!