UFC Shanghai: Three Fighters Miss Weight on Prelim Card

Three fighters missed weight ahead of UFC Shanghai's preliminary card, with strawweights Xiong Jingnan and Julia Polastri both coming in over the limit for the same bout and flyweight Andre Lima also failing to make weight against Namsrai Batbayar. All three fights are going forward as scheduled at Shanghai's Oriental Sports Center, headlined by bantamweights Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong in a matchup with real 135-pound title implications.

The early card, which airs at 3 a.m. ET for North American fans, features a featherweight bout between Sean Woodson and Jack Jenkins that carries its own stakes. Woodson is looking to snap back from a loss to Dan Ige that ended a seven-fight unbeaten run, while Jenkins comes in off a win over Ramon Taveras.

What the Weight Misses Mean for the Fights

Both bouts affected by the misses will still happen, just not as originally contracted. Lima's fight against Batbayar moves forward at catchweight, and the standard penalty in these situations is a purse forfeiture for the fighter who missed, which puts extra financial sting on top of whatever competitive edge Batbayar gains from the size difference on fight night. Xiong and Polastri both missing weight for their strawweight bout is the more unusual story here, since it is rare for both sides of a matchup to come in heavy. That fight also proceeds at catchweight, which strips away some of the size and cut advantages either woman might have banked on when the bout was made.

Woodson-Jenkins Carries the Betting Interest on the Prelims

Sean Woodson enters as the favorite over Jack Jenkins in the featherweight opener, with sportsbooks pricing him around -143 to -145 while Jenkins sits in the +120 to +138 range depending on the book. That line reflects Woodson's length and output on the feet, but Jenkins brings real momentum off his win over Taveras and enough volume to make this a live underdog spot rather than a mismatch. For bettors, the value question is whether Woodson can consistently work at range after eating a decision loss to Ige, a fighter with a similar profile to Jenkins in terms of pressure and pace.

The card sits on a heavier betting radar than a typical UFC prelim slate because of what's above it. Nurmagomedov and Song headline with bantamweight rankings on the line, which tends to pull more market attention and liquidity into the undercard fights that lead into it, Woodson-Jenkins included.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who missed weight at UFC Shanghai?

Andre Lima missed weight for his flyweight bout with Namsrai Batbayar, and both Xiong Jingnan and Julia Polastri missed weight for their strawweight fight, though all three bouts proceeded at catchweight.

Who is fighting on the UFC Shanghai prelims?

The UFC Shanghai preliminary card includes Sean Woodson vs. Jack Jenkins at featherweight, Xiong Jingnan vs. Julia Polastri at strawweight, and Andre Lima vs. Namsrai Batbayar at flyweight, among other bouts.

What is the main event of UFC Shanghai?

UFC Shanghai is headlined by a bantamweight bout between Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong, with both fighters looking to move up the 135-pound title picture.