Taiyilake Nueralji kicked things off with a bruising first-round finish of Kiefer Crosbie, dispatching the Irishman with a torrent of elbows before Chinese flyweight Sumudaerji picked up his second win of the year by sweeping the scorecards against Kevin Borjas. That was followed by clear decision wins for established contenders Sergei Pavlovich and Aljamain Sterling, who defeated Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Brian Ortega respectively to secure their positions in the Top 5. The heavy-handed duo traded occasional big blows in the first, both men swinging for the fences and trying to get things over in a hurry. Early in the second, Walker blasted Zhang with a low kick that immediately drew a reaction from “The Mountain Tiger,” who was clearly in agony as he collapsed to the canvas. From there, Walker pounced, unleashing a storm of blows that finally prompted referee Marc Goddard to step in and halt the action. This was a massive bounce-back win for the mercurial Brazilian, who halted a three-fight run without a win by dispatching Zhang on Saturday. After a year away and training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Walker turned in an impressive effort in halting the ascent of the Chinese prospect, getting himself moving in the right direction again. Aljamain Sterling scored a unanimous decision win over Brian Ortega in Saturday’s co-main event, getting the better of the former title challenger in a bout that was surprisingly contested almost exclusively on the feet. Sterling’s jab was sharp throughout, serving as the setup for “The Funkmaster” to utilize his other striking attacks before he slid out of range, reset, and attacked once again. While Ortega was frequently the one moving forward, he just wasn’t able to connect with more than sporadic shots, as Sterling frequently intercepted him with the jab, using his movement to stay out of danger. The former bantamweight titleholder earned a clean sweep of the scorecards to get back in the win column and advance to 2-1 since moving up to the featherweight ranks. This win should elevate him into the Top 5, as Ortega entered holding the No. 5 ranking, and position him for another marquee assignment next time out. Sergei Pavlovich halted the extended winning streak of Waldo Cortes-Acosta, solidifying his standing as one of the elite talents in the heavyweight division by garnering his second win of the year. The Russian standout was selective with his shots throughout, countering well and landing heavy almost every time he threw. While Cortes-Acosta had moments of his own, Pavlovich’s experience and class clearly ruled the day, as he patiently waited for “Salsa Boy” to over-extend and then punished him with big shots through to the final horn. After registering nothing but knockout in his first six UFC victories, this is now consecutive decision wins for the former interim title challenger. Pavlovich remains a serious threat near the top of the division, and showing he can work at a steady clip over 15 minutes makes him even more intriguing. Sumudaerji garnered his second consecutive win in his first bout in his home country in more than six years, out-working Kevin Borjas in a bout defined by the Chinese flyweight’s range. The 29-year-old was able to keep Borjas on the end of his strikes for the majority of the contest, showing a little more variety and diversity in his attacks and the sound takedown defense that carried him to victory over Mitch Raposo earlier this year. Coming off a strong performance earlier this year, Borjas could not find a rhythm, with Sumudaerji stifling his offense and throwing his own straight through to the end of the fight. One of the first Enbo Fight Club representatives to reach the UFC, this was an emotional victory for Sumudaerji, who dashed out of the Octagon to embrace his adoptive father following the bout. His size continually makes him a tough out in the flyweight division, and now he’s earned consecutive victories for the first time in several years to continue his push forward in the division.