Walker and Zhang headline UFC's return to Shanghai, with Brian Ortega vs. Aljamain Sterling in the co-main event

Zhang faces Johnny Walker in the UFC Shanghai headliner in a pivotal 205-pound clash. Around five weeks later, Magomed Ankalaev defends his title against Alex Pereira in a rematch to headline UFC 320 on Oct. 4 in Las Vegas.

Zhang Mingyang made history in 2022 by earning his UFC contract with a brutal first-round knockout victory. The Chinese fighter first came to prominence when he appeared as a contestant on the Road to UFC show back in 2022. The program was created to unearth the top MMA fighters in Asia and bring them to compete at the highest level in the UFC.

The ‘Mountain Tiger’ Zhang Mingyang will aim to continue his epic winning run when he faces Johnny Walker in the light heavyweight main event of a UFC Fight Night, set for the Shanghai Indoor Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The speed of Zhang's rise hasn't only been a surprise outside of China, but to the man himself. Before landing this Walker matchup, Zhang retired one-time UFC title challenger Anthony Smith with a first-round stoppage at UFC Kansas City in April.

With ‘Lionheart’ lying in a pool of his own blood, Jason Herzog stepped in and called a stop to the fight as Zhang continued to just brutalize him with elbows. Although at one point Walker was regarded as a potential future champion in the 205lb division, there is a chance that he is fighting for his job at UFC Shanghai.