UFC Fight Night 257: Walker vs Zhang Preview

UFC Fight Night 257 takes place on August 23, 2025, at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium, Shanghai, China. It is the second time UFC comes to Shanghai and the first time on mainland China since 2017.

The co-headliner is light heavyweights Johnny Walker (#13) and Zhang Mingyang (#14) going head-to-head in a headlined fight.

Fighter Spotlights

Johnny Walker

An explosive-striking Brazilian light heavyweight with a 21-9 record, Johnny Walker is 6'6" with an 82" reach. He's #13 in the UFC 205 lb division at mid-2025. Walker developed through Dana White's Contender Series and is a frequent earner of Performance of the Night bonuses for his pyrotechnic knockouts.

Walker's recent fights include a no-contest loss against Magomed Ankalaev, which was highly contested, and a knockout loss to Volkan Oezdemir, making this fight a redemption moment.

Zhang Mingyang

Known by his nickname "Mountain Tiger," Zhang Mingyang is a rising Chinese light heavyweight making history as the first major Chinese UFC headline. Ranked #14, he’s known for a high knockout rate—13 KOs and 6 submissions in his career. A standout in UFC 298 (Knockout of Brendson Ribeiro) and UFC Fight Night events versus Ozzy Diaz and Anthony Smith, Zhang took all those wins in the first round and earned Performance of the Night honours. This event keeps building his rapid ascent.

Event Background & Significance

• China return: This event reintroduces UFC to mainland China after a long hiatus, nudging the brand’s global expansion.
   
• Strategic market entry: The Shanghai Indoor Stadium was also slated for an earlier return in 2023 before the event was relocated.
   
• Light Heavyweight stakes: With both fighters tightly ranked, this bout could catapult the winner into title contention.

Broadcast / Watch Details

• Start Times:
   
  • Prelims: Around 3:00 AM ET
     
  • Main Card: Around 6:00 AM ET on Saturday, August 23
     
• Television & Streaming:
   
  • In the U.S., the event will stream on ESPN+
     
  • For other countries, we have varying options for coverage, if you are in Pakistan then tapmad is your go to, other  broadcasters like BT Sport, UFC Fight Pass, and other regional partners also carry such events.
     
• Promotion: According to the UFC official site, we are confirmed that the Shanghai event and offers updates on fights, tickets, and streaming.

Why This Fight Matters

Aspect	Insight
Rank & Momentum	A win for either could propel them to top contender status.
Market Growth	Signifies UFC’s expanding footprint in the lucrative Chinese market.
Star Power Clash	Battle between an established knockout artist (Walker) and an ascending national favourite (Zhang).
Event Prestige	UFC’s return to Shanghai signals confidence in Asian fan engagement.

 

Final Thoughts

UFC Fight Night 257: Walker vs. Zhang is going to be a thrilling event full of fireworks. This event is sure to be a defining moment for both the participants. We see Walker with his popularity and headline power vs. Zhang and his historic rise and ever growing Chinese fanbase, all this combined with the backdrop of UFC’s China re-entry, only adds to the importance of the event. For more news and live updates on UFC Fight Night 257, follow us on tapmad.