With the victory, Walker snaps a three-fight winless streak (two losses and one no contest). The victory was his first since he beat Anthony Smith by unanimous decision in May 2023. In defeat, Zhang loses for the first time in the UFC after promotional victories over Brendson Ribeiro, Ozzy Diaz, and Anthony Smith.

Mingyang Zhang vs. Johnny Walker squared off in a Light Heavyweight contest earlier tonight (Sat. Aug. 23, 2025) live on ESPN+ inside Shanghai Indoor Stadium in Shanghai, China. In a wild fight, Walker secured the knockout win.

Tonight's UFC Fight Night looks to inject some ferocious Chinese talent into the light heavyweight division. Prolific finisher Mingyang Zhang has ended all 19 of his wins inside the first round, and standing in the way of a top spot in the 205 division is perennial contender Johnny Walker.