After an eventful evening of weigh ins, the UFC is set for a 12 fight card at UFC Shanghai. All 12 bouts were made official although not without drama.
The announcement of the fight being off due to Brian Ortega’s illness caused a scare with the co-main event. A few moments later, Ortega appeared to weigh in, and they changed the bout with Aljamain Sterling to a 153 lb catch weight.
Ortega seemed to be on wobbly legs even at the face off but the bout was made official and set to go tonight. With the Co – Main event official fans took to the main event weigh in and saw professionalism.
MingYang Zhang is set to square off with Johnny Walker at UFC Shanghai. Both fighters successfully made weight and are prepared to put on a show in Zhang’s home country.
With other great match ups scattered thru the card, fans are excited for all the action going down in Shanghai this morning. On that note lets get right into the analysis on the main event of UFC Shanghai Live from Shanghai, China tonight!
All betting odds are presented by BetOnline.ag as of 8/22/2025 at 12 p.m.
Check out the odds for the entire card at the best online sportsbooks available in the U.S.
Main Event: Mingyang Zhang vs Johnny Walker Analysis – Light Heavyweight
Hometown Prospect Mingyang Zhang Headlines Against Johnny Walker Saturday Night
A massive light heavyweight match up is headlining UFC Shanghai tonight. Mingyang Zhang is getting his first main event in his home country against Johnny Walker.
Johnny Walker is a veteran of the UFC with this being his 14th under the promotion. Early in his career, fans considered him a top prospect in the light heavyweight division.
Starting his career with 4 straight victories, things looked very promising for Walker. His striking was unconventional and unpredictable, often throwing wild strikes like flying knees with his massive frame.
Until he was knocked out by Corey Anderson in 2019 which changed the entire trajectory of his career. It began a tough run although fighting some of the best fighters in the division.
Since then he has gone 3-6-1 in his last 9 bouts getting knocked out in 3 of the 6. Walker’s biggest weakness began to show as he grew under the promotion, his striking defense and his chin.
Being a massive body for the light heavyweight division, standing at over 6’6 he typically has a height advantage over his opponent. The problem is, Walker has not used his size to his advantage & typically gets into wild striking exchanges with his opponents.
In a match up with such a power puncher in Zhang, This could prove deadly for the UFC veteran.
Will Zhang Rise To The Step – Up In Competition?
Mingyang Zhang Looks To Continue His Dominance
Mingyang Zhang has been impressive since earning his contract in Road To UFC finals. Ripping off 3 straight knock out victories, all in the 1st round.
A fighter that often throws caution to the wind and enters the pocket with reckless abandonment. Zhang typically marches forward winging big shots as not many have been able to withstand the power behind them.
Predominantly a striker, he prefers to cause a brawl rather then apply patience and picking his shots. In these fire fights he has been durable, but it must be noted he has been knocked out 3 times in his career.
Despite his shaky 19-6 record, Zhang turned a corner in his career in 2019. Since the winner of 12 straight he is taking a lot of momentum into this match up with Walker.
The UFC is also pushing Zhang and showing support behind him. Giving him this Main Event opportunity with a tailor made match up in his home country.
It is obvious the UFC is setting their prospect up for success here. I tend to trust the UFC knows what they are doing, and I expect Mingyang Zhang to knock out Johnny Walker in brutal fashion tonight.
UFC Shanghai Main Event: Mingyang Zhang vs Johnny Walker Prediction – Mingyang Zhang wins (-335) at BetOnline
UFC Shanghai Main Event: Mingyang Zhang vs Johnny Walker Best Bet – Mingyang Zhang Wins By KO In Round 2 (+450) at BetOnline
UFC Shanghai Schedule & FAQ
When is UFC Shanghai?
- UFC Shanghai will take place Saturday, August 20th, 2025.
Where is UFC Shanghai?
- UFC Shanghai will go down live at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium In Shanghai, China.
What time does UFC Shanghai start?
- UFC Shanghai Preliminary Card start time: 3 a.m. ET
- UFC Shanghai Main Card start time: 6 a.m. ET
How to Watch UFC Shanghai?
- UFC Shanghai Preliminary Card Coverage: ESPN+
- UFC Shanghai Main Card Coverage: ESPN+
How to Bet on UFC Shanghai?
Most international and domestic sportsbooks will carry odds for a fight card of this caliber. But check out our best online sportsbooks here to see what Betting News recommends for a great UFC betting experience.
If one thing is for sure, Saturday’s card is sure to bring the action. I hope this betting guide helps bring more context to your UFC entertainment experience.
If you want my full card of bets, tune into the Violence Report on our network on Twitch every Saturday. Or for more gambling content like this, make sure to follow me on X or Betting News on all platforms!