The main event of UFC Fight Night in Shanghai marked the company’s return to China after six years. Johnny Walker faced Zhang Mingyang in a light heavyweight bout that captured the attention of the fans.
Walker, after two consecutive knockout losses, achieved an impressive technical knockout (TKO) over the Chinese fighter in the second round. This result ended a twelve-fight winning streak for Zhang, who hadn’t lost since 2019 and hadn’t seen a second round since 2018.Zhang dominated the first round, connecting significant blows that forced Walker to retreat. However, Walker returned to the second round with a different strategy, focusing on calf kicks. A precise kick affected Zhang, followed by a second that knocked him down. Walker (22-9, 1 NC) took advantage of the situation to finish the fight with ground-and-pound at 2:37 of the second round.
“My kick is amazing, right?”
Johnny Walker
Walker also expressed respect for Zhang (19-7), highlighting his strength and dedication.
“A tough fighter from China, with many wins in a row. It’s a great experience to fight against a very tough guy. I am resilient. Today I took some hits to the face and kept going, and then I got it. This is MMA. Incredible, right?”
Johnny Walker
Walker is ranked number 13 in the official UFC rankings, while Zhang is just behind him.
Aljamain Sterling Beats Brian Ortega in the Co-Main Event
In the co-main event, Aljamain Sterling defeated Brian Ortega by unanimous decision in a catchweight bout at 153 pounds, as Ortega failed to make the 146-pound division weight.
Sterling (25-5), former bantamweight champion, proved to be superior to Ortega (16-5, 1 NC) throughout the five rounds, with a clear dominance that was reflected in the judges’ scorecards (50-45, 50-45, 50-45).
Sterling, currently ranked number 9 in the featherweight rankings, secured his second victory in his last three fights. For Ortega, it was his second consecutive loss and the fifth in his last seven matchups.
Sergei Pavlovich Dominates Waldo Cortes-Acosta
The heavyweight clash between Sergei Pavlovich and Waldo Cortes-Acosta also stood out on the card. Pavlovich managed to take control in the third round, securing the victory by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
Pavlovich has won eight of his last ten fights.
