DO not blink tomorrow morning when two of the most creative and destructive strikers in the UFC collide in Shanghai, China.

Light-heavyweight prospect Zhang Mingyang gets home advantage in his first Octagon main event against perennial contender and ever-entertaining Johnny Walker.

Scheduled for five rounds, the main event in China’s biggest city has little to no chance of going the full 25 minutes.

Zhang, 27, has stopped every single one of his 19 victories in the opening round, including 12 consecutively en route to Shanghai.

Equally, Walker boasts 19 finishes in his 21 career wins, including 23 first-round finishes – albeit including four losses.

BIG BANG ZHANG

Zhang, a native of Shandong province in Eastern China, started his martial arts journey at a Shaolin Monastery at the age of seven, moving into the facility aged 12 to train full-time.

He transitioned to Sanda, a form of Chinese kickboxing, becoming a provincial and national champion, before spotting the UFC online and switching to MMA.

He had his first pro fight at 16, initially going 7-6 on the Chinese regional scene.

But in 2020, his hard work on the mats rounding his skillset clicked into place and he’s not lost a fight since.

BOY FROM BRAZIL

Dublin-based Brazilian Walker, 33, has been a UFC fan favourite ever since making his debut for the promotion in 2018.

His run of flying knees, spinning backfists, and slashing elbows announced his skillset on the biggest stage and helped him quickly climb the light-heavy rankings.

His 7-6-1 UFC tenure may not read like that of a potential contender, but every defeat has come against either a former champion or ranked challenger.

Only three of those 14 UFC contests have gone the distance too – with Johnny winning just once on the scorecards.

Every time he steps into the Octagon he comes to win in spectacular fashion, or crash out trying.

SHANGHAI SHOWDOWN

Similarly, whilst Zhang’s six career losses may have all arrived in the previous decade, he too was stopped on five occasions, proving he is as fallible as his is fierce.

Or, at least, he was.

Zhang’s current run of form has been spectacular, to say the least, and he’s not missed a beat despite stepping up from the Chinese scene to MMA’s biggest show.

He’s got a mean low kick, aggressive and accurate boxing, slashing elbows in the clinch, and a slick pressing defensive sprawl for such a big man.

Not that he’ll need it against Walker, who despite a few setbacks recently, will undoubtedly look to play to his own strengths: creatively striking by spinning and leaping himself into range.

Both fighters are front-foot aggressive. They like to bully their opponents, and once their foe is on the run, that’s when they truly come alive.

Whoever dictates the range, whoever is able to press forward and fire first, that’s who will land and end this fight quickly.

Momentum is everything, and Zhang’s run of destruction should be enough to force Walker to second guess his instincts, allowing Mingyang to capitalise.

And he won’t need a second invitation.

Keep an eye out for that chopping right low kick and the driving left upwards elbow that lands like an uppercut.

---

Please remember to gamble responsibly. Visit our Safer Gambling section for more information, help and advice.