UFC Fight Night 257: Brian Ortega vs. Aljamain Sterling Prediction for Saturday, 08/23/25

The Co-Main Event at UFC Fight Night 257 will see Brian Ortega take on Aljamain Sterling. This will be a fight in the UFC Featherweight division. Ortega enters this fight with an MMA record of 16-4 and 8-4 in the UFC. He is averaging 4.08 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 37%. Ortega absorbs 6.59 strikes and has a striking defense of 49%. His grappling is also decent, averaging 1.07 takedowns every 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts during the same period. He has a takedown accuracy of 26% and a takedown defense of 55%.

Sterling enters this fight with an MMA record of 24-5 and 16-5 in the UFC. He is averaging 4.41 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 52%. Sterling absorbs 2.21 strikes and has a striking defense of 58%. His grappling is also strong, averaging 2.51 takedowns every 15 minutes. Sterling has a takedown accuracy of 29% and a takedown defense of 42%.

Sterling has been labeled the heavy favorite; therefore, we will be targeting this fight to go the distance. Both Ortega and Sterling have seen 3 of their last 5 UFC fights go the distance, so backing the same here will be our play.