A knockout is highly probable when Johnny Walker and Zhang Mingyang enter the Octagon. Zhang notches his first UFC Fight Night main event on Saturday with support from his countrymen in Shanghai.
Walker (21-9, 1 NC) has his back against the wall again. Walker showed maturity in his recent three-fight winning streak with improved patience, but he is on another two-fight skid after Magomed Ankalaev and Volkan Oezdemir knocked him out. Once considered a future contender, Walker sees himself in Zhang.
“I [beat] a lot of guys, and when I reached the top, I wasn’t [at that] level yet, and I lost,” Walker said at Thursday’s media day. “So he’s just too young, I believe, to beat me now. He needs more experience. I know he’s a challenge. It’s going to be a big test for him and for me too.”
Zhang (19-6) is a mysterious addition to the light heavyweight elite. He’s consecutively finished 12 opponents in Round 1, including three in the UFC. His most recent trashing sent Anthony Smith into retirement. There are important questions about Zhang’s overall game, but Walker seems eager to meet his opponent’s striking head-on.
“I expect a toe-to-toe, bloody war,” Zhang told CBS Sports through an interpreter. “Both of us need a win. Johnny is not in a good position after losing his last two fights. I need a win to climb up. Both of us are very hungry for a win. This is a fight: there will always be a winner and a loser. This is our job, but I only want to bring an exciting fight to fans.”
Saturday’s co-main event is intriguing. Brian Ortega and Aljamain Sterling are two of the best featherweight grapplers. Sterling specializes in chaining takedowns and attaining back control; meanwhile, Ortega has nasty submissions from the bottom. Ortega’s weathered chin has limited his dynamic striking, but that shouldn’t be an issue against Sterling, who’s not a knockout threat. Their five-round fight is complicated by Ortega’s weight miss, with the fight now taking place at lightweight.
Below is the rest of the fight card for Saturday, with the latest odds before we predict the main event.
UFC Fight Night card, odds
| Zhang Mingyang -350 | Johnny Walker +275 | Light heavyweight |
| Aljamain Sterling -400 | Brian Ortega +310 | Lightweight |
| Sergei Pavlovich -250 | Waldo Cortes Acosta +205 | Heavyweight |
| Sumudaerji -180 | Kevin Borjas +150 | Flyweight |
| Taiyilake Nueraji -470 | Kiefer Crosbie +360 | Welterweight |
UFC Fight Night viewing information
Date: Aug. 23 | Start time: 6 a.m. ET (main card)
Location: Shanghai Indoor Stadium — Shanghai
TV channel: ESPN+
Prediction
Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang: I’m always hesitant about fighters with long first-round KO streaks. How will their stamina hold up after Round 1? What happens when they are taken down? How about when they meet a more technically advanced striker? These are crucial questions for gauging Zhang’s long-term potential, but they aren’t crucial to this fight. Walker’s style plays into Zhang’s strengths. Zhang wields superior power, striking accuracy and defense. That, combined with Walker’s crumbling chin, makes it hard to side with the veteran from Brazil. Walker isn’t hopeless, though. He’s probably the most skilled striker Zhang has faced. Walker’s wrestling isn’t advanced enough to be a reliable tool, but he should incorporate it to empower his striking. Maximizing Walker’s seven-inch reach and four-inch height advantage is imperative to his success. I don’t know what Zhang’s ceiling is, but he’s got a great game to neutralize an inconsistent Walker. Zhang via KO1
