Event: UFC Fight Night 257 – Shanghai, China | Date: August 23, 2025 | Division: Welterweight (170 lbs)
Before the cage door even closed at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium, most fans and analysts already had a clear answer to the big question: who wins this fight? The Nueraji vs Crosbie prediction was not a hard one to make but the fight itself turned out to be more controversial than anyone expected.
Let’s break it all down.
Who Are These Two Fighters?
Taiyilake Nueraji “Super Saiyan”
Taiyilake Nueraji is a 24-year-old Chinese welterweight who many people in MMA circles had been watching for a long time. Going into UFC Shanghai, he carried a record of 11-1, with a finish in every single one of his wins yes, every one. No decisions. He had been on a five-fight winning streak and was ranked No. 4 in the Asia-Pacific welterweight rankings.
At 6 feet 2 inches tall with a 75-inch reach, Nueraji is big for his weight class. He fights with high energy and throws strikes constantly. Analysts noted he averages more than 11 significant strikes per minute, which is a very high number. He trained alongside other top Chinese fighters and had previously competed on the Road to UFC series before finally getting his debut at home in Shanghai.
Kiefer Crosbie The Irish Veteran
Kiefer Crosbie is a 35-year-old striker from Ireland. He came into this fight with a record of 10-5, but his UFC career had not gone well. He was 0-2 in the UFC, losing both previous fights by submission in the first round. Before the UFC, he competed in Bellator MMA where he went 4-3.
Crosbie is a solid striker who also boxes competitively on the side. He’s tough and has real experience. But going into this fight, there were clear problems: his grappling defense had been tested and found weak, and at 35, he was fighting a 24-year-old with more explosive power. The age and record gap was hard to ignore.
What Experts Predicted Before the Fight
The Nueraji vs Crosbie prediction from most analysts was simple: Nueraji wins early by stoppage.
The betting odds at DraftKings had Nueraji at -455, meaning he was a very heavy favorite. Crosbie came in as a big underdog. Most experts believed Crosbie’s path to victory was narrow he needed either a big power shot early or some kind of chaos to flip the fight. Without that, Nueraji’s pressure and grappling were expected to be too much.
Analysts from MMA Junkie and Yahoo Sports both picked Nueraji to win by knockout, with predictions landing on a Round 1 or Round 2 finish. The under 1.5 rounds bet was also popular at -195 odds, meaning even the betting market expected this to end fast.
The reason for such confidence was simple: Nueraji had every physical and statistical advantage. Longer reach, younger, better finishing rate, more recent wins, and fighting in front of a home crowd in Shanghai.
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How the Fight Actually Went
The fight started exactly as predicted. Nueraji came forward immediately after an opening kick, got the fight to the ground, and began working from top position. Crosbie tried to fight back from his back, looking for a triangle choke, but he couldn’t secure it.
Nueraji moved to mount and started landing heavy elbows. Crosbie scrambled and recovered guard, but the damage kept coming.
Then came the controversy.
As Crosbie was crouched low near the canvas, Nueraji fired a knee directly to his head an illegal strike in MMA when the opponent is grounded. The knee was blatant and immediately visible on replays. It opened a deep cut under Crosbie’s left eye and clearly shook him.
Referee Marc Goddard stopped the action, issued a two-point deduction to Nueraji, and called for a medical check. At this point, many fans believed Crosbie could and maybe should have taken the full five minutes of recovery time. If he could not continue, the fight would have been ruled a no contest or disqualification.
But Crosbie, showing real bravery or perhaps making a bad decision, told Goddard he was fine and wanted to keep fighting. The fight restarted almost immediately.
Nueraji wasted no time. He put Crosbie back on the ground and unloaded punches and elbows with no defense coming back. The referee stopped the fight at 3:33 of Round 1 by TKO.
After the win, Nueraji told the crowd: “I already said it won’t take three rounds. It is my obligation to give you a big show.”
The Controversy Did Crosbie Make the Right Call?
This is the part that got people talking. UFC commentator Brendan Fitzgerald said there would be “an asterisk” next to Nueraji’s result, and it’s hard to disagree.
The illegal knee visibly hurt Crosbie. Many fans and fighters online said he should have stayed down and taken the disqualification win, or at least used the full recovery time to let his head clear.
Instead, a concussed and bleeding fighter chose to continue and was finished seconds later. Was that brave? Yes. Was it smart? That’s a different question.
The referee also received criticism for restarting the fight too quickly after such a serious foul. Whether Crosbie could have properly defended himself after that knee is something we will never know for sure.
Despite the controversy, the official result stands: Nueraji wins by TKO, Round 1. His UFC record moved to 3-0 with three finishes.
What This Result Means Going Forward
For Nueraji, this was a big moment. His UFC debut at home, in front of Chinese fans, with a first-round finish. Even with the controversy attached, the result confirms he is a real prospect at welterweight. He is undefeated in the UFC, has never gone the distance in his career, and at just 24 years old, his ceiling is still unknown.
For Crosbie, the picture looks much darker. He is now 0-3 in the UFC with three straight losses, all ending in the first round. At 35, it is hard to see the UFC giving him another opportunity without a serious change in results.
FAQ Nueraji vs Crosbie
1. Who won the Nueraji vs Crosbie fight?
Taiyilake Nueraji won by TKO elbows at 3:33 of Round 1 at UFC Fight Night 257 in Shanghai.
2. What was the controversy in the Nueraji vs Crosbie fight?
Nueraji landed an illegal knee to Crosbie’s head while he was grounded. Referee Marc Goddard deducted two points but restarted the fight quickly. Crosbie was then finished moments later.
3. What were the pre-fight odds for Nueraji vs Crosbie?
Nueraji was a heavy favorite at -455. Most analysts predicted an early stoppage, and the under 1.5 rounds was priced at -195.
4. What is Nueraji’s UFC record after this fight?
Taiyilake Nueraji improved to 3-0 in the UFC, with all three wins coming by finish. His overall MMA record became 12-1.
5. Should Crosbie have accepted the disqualification instead of continuing?
Many fans and fighters believe so. After taking an illegal knee that opened a cut and clearly hurt him, continuing the fight was seen as a risky decision that likely cost him the win.
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