Athletes
Zhang Mingyang | Journey To Main Event
Three Fights Into His UFC Career, China’s Zhang Mingyang Steps Into His First Main Event Against Johnny Walker
Zhang Mingyang first entered the UFC ecosystem back in June of 2022, when he competed in a non-tournament bout on the inaugural season of Road to UFC in Singapore, facing Tuko Tokkos. Heading into the fight, Tokkos was a massive betting favorite, but Zhang flipped the script quickly, ending the fight in the first four minutes.
Following that fight, Zhang worked his way onto the UFC roster and has been on an absolute tear in the 205-pound division. But Saturday night, the 27-year-old enters the biggest fight of his career when he competes in his first UFC main event against veteran Johnny Walker inside Shanghai Indoor Stadium in Shanghai, China. With a new champion sitting atop the throne in the light heavyweight division, every fight is another opportunity to cement yourself as a contender. Before he makes the walk on Saturday night, let’s take a look at his journey to his first main event.
MORE UFC FIGHT NIGHT: Fight By Fight Preview | Fighters On The Rise
Zhang got his 2024 campaign off to a hot start, making the walk to the Octagon for the first time at UFC 298 last February against Brendson Ribeiro. It was a back-and-forth scrap for as long as it lasted, with Zhang eating a handful of big shots from the Brazilian. But in this game, all it takes is one and that’s exactly what happened when the two light heavyweights traded blows, and Zhang found a right hand that sent “The Gorilla” down. It was a stellar debut performance from Zhang, and it marked the first of many Performance of the Night bonuses to come.
The knockouts kept on coming in November when Zhang entered the Octagon against Ozzy Diaz in Macau last November. The light heavyweight continued to show his power, as he landed an elbow against Diaz that sent him down to the canvas, and after a few follow up shots were landed, the referee stepped in to end the fight at the 2:25 mark of the first round. This win put solidified Zhang’s spot as a prospect to watch in the light heavyweight division, and a real threat for whoever stepped into the Octagon with him.
WATCH: Zhang Mingyang Fight Week Interview
The power of the elbow was once again on display in Zhang’s first contest of 2025, back in April, when he faced Anthony Smith in Kansas City. The fight marked Smith’s last walk to the Octagon, but that didn’t faze Zhang, who was all gas no brakes throughout the entirety of the fight, adding another first round finish to his resume and setting him up for his first UFC main event.
The interesting angle to this fight is that Zhang and Walker have actually trained together. Prior to his bout against Smith, Zhang connected with Walker to help him prepare for “Lionheart”, given Walker’s experience also facing him.
Zhang Mingyang | Best Finishes
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Zhang Mingyang | Best Finishes
/
Now sitting at No. 14 in the light heavyweight rankings, Zhang comes into this matchup with a handful of stats that showcase his ability to knock people out cold. He is currently on a 12-fight win streak, having not tasted defeat since 2019. All of his wins have ended inside the distance, in addition to all of them being in the first round. Although he has made it to the second round in previous fights, UFC fans haven’t seen Zhang need more than five minutes to get the job done, with this fight slated for 25 minutes if needed. Thirteen of his 19 wins have ended by knockout and that is what we have seen from Zhang inside the Octagon so far.
Walker currently sits one spot above Zhang at No. 13, but another first-round finish could elevate Zhang one step closer to the top 10, and with a ton of light heavyweight fights on the docket over the next month, there is sure to be some movement set to happen at 205 pounds.
UFC Fight Night: Walker vs Zhang took place live from Shanghai Indoor Stadium in Shanghai, China on August 23, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!