Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang Prediction: UFC Shanghai Best Bets, Expert Picks & Odds
The UFC takes Shanghai this Saturday, with Johnny Walker meeting Zhang Mingyang in a light heavyweight main event, and we’ve got our Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang prediction before the cage door shuts.
Walker, 33, heads to Shanghai in dire need of a win, having dropped his 2024 bouts against Volkan Oezdemir and Magomed Ankalaev by KO. The Brazilian enters Saturday’s contest with a UFC record of 7-6.
Mingyang, meanwhile, has won all four of his bouts under the UFC banner and 12 straight overall - all by first-round stoppage. The Chinese product was last seen spoiling Anthony Smith’s retirement bout by first-round TKO this past April.
For more on Saturday’s action, check out our UFC picks for the main card and our UFC best bets.
📊 Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang UFC odds
Odds via FanDuel as of Friday.
| Johnny Walker | Method of victory | Zhang Mingyang |
|---|---|---|
| +270 | Win outright | -355 |
| +500 | Win by KO/TKO/DQ | -240 |
| +1300 | Win by decision | +2000 |
| +5000 | Draw | +5000 |
Given Mingyang’s destructive streak and Walker’s slump, it isn’t surprising that the former enters fight night a sizable favorite. Stoppage and round props are most compelling for this matchup, as Mingyang has finished all 19 of his conquests, including nine straight and 13 overall by KO/TKO.
Bet $5, Win $300 in Bonus Bets
New customers only. Min. first deposit and wager of $5+. Bonus bets are awarded within 72 hours of winning your first wager. T&Cs apply.
Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.
🥊 UFC Shanghai predictions: Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang preview
✅ Prediction: Zhang Mingyang to beat Johnny Walker
📊 Best odds: -355 via FanDuel ($10 to win $2.82)
Walker’s measurables may be formidable, but they aren’t the threat you’d think they are.
Standing 6-foot-6 with an 82-inch reach, Walker should have developed into a rangy striker adept at keeping his man at the end of his limbs. Unfortunately, seven years into his UFC stint, his fight IQ still leaves much to be desired, as he’s folded via strikes to smaller opposition in Corey Anderson, Jamahal Hill, Ankalaev, and Oezdemir.
Enter Mingyang, an eight-point striker who’s as dangerous from mid-range as he is from the clinch. The surging Mingyang lands a gaudy 10.91 significant strikes per minute to Walker’s paltry 3.87 and boasts nasty low kicks and elbows, both of which will prove instrumental against Walker when getting inside. Furthermore, the Chinese favorite is tasked with a foe who’s been finished by KO/TKO in six of nine losses, so expect Mingyang to sling leather early and often, find a way inside, and add another brutal stoppage to his resume.
To the dismay of those who prefer straight moneyline action, respectable value on a 13th straight Mingyang win is hard to come by. Indeed, DraftKings and BetMGM offer a Mingyang W at just -375 and -357, respectively, with FanDuel narrowly leading at -355.
💰 UFC Shanghai predictions: Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang best bet
✅ Best bet: Mingyang to win in Round 1
📊 Best odds: -125 via FanDuel ($10 to win $8)
In a clash of action fighters who both win big and lose big, this headliner shouldn’t require a second stanza, much less the judges’ input.
More than 20 of Walker’s 30 career bouts have ended in the first round, while Mingyang has ventured beyond the opening frame just three times in 25 pro contests. Between Walker’s brittle chin and lackluster decision-making, and Mingyang’s varied striking and finishing instincts, this matchup promises oodles of zingers and a violent finish, and I expect Mingyang’s pressure and superior shot selection to leave Walker counting the lights for the seventh time. In short: Mingyang in Round 1.
Luckily, the value on an early Mingyang win is a little more respectable, with FanDuel (-125) besting both DraftKings (-160) and BetMGM (-167) on a first-round victory.
🆚 Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang tale of the tape
| Johnny Walker | Zhang Mingyang | |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Age | 27 |
| 6'6" | Height | 6'2" |
| 205 lbs | Weight | 205 lbs |
| 82" | Reach | 75.5" |
| 21-9 (1 NC) | Record | 19-6 |
📡 How to watch Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang: UFC Shanghai
📅 Saturday, Aug. 23
🕗 6 a.m. ET
📍 Shanghaig Indoor Stadium (Shanghai, China)
📺 ESPN+
(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.
Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.
Related Articles
