At UFC Fight Night 257 in Shanghai, Zhang Mingyang suffered his first UFC loss when Johnny Walker stopped him with leg kicks and ground-and-pound in the second round. After looking sharp early with crisp boxing combinations in Round 1, Mingyang’s momentum was halted once Walker targeted his lead leg. A brutal low kick dropped him, and the ensuing barrage forced the referee to intervene at 2:37 of Round 2. The defeat snapped Mingyang’s four-fight UFC win streak but kept him ranked at #15 in the light heavyweight division.
The right matchup for Mingyang next is Nikita Krylov. The veteran Russian has lost back-to-back fights against Dominick Reyes and Bogdan Guskov but remains ranked #13. Krylov brings extensive UFC experience with over 40 professional fights and a proven finishing ability, boasting 28 stoppages in 30 wins. Both fighters are coming off knockout losses, making this a compelling rebound bout that could reestablish the winner as a legitimate contender in the top 15.
Stylistically, it’s a fascinating clash. Krylov’s grappling depth and submission arsenal would test Mingyang’s defensive wrestling, while Mingyang’s knockout power and aggressive striking could expose Krylov’s sometimes shaky durability. The fight offers a perfect balance of veteran savvy versus rising talent and could easily serve as a main-card feature on an upcoming Fight Night event.
Last Five Fights – Zhang Mingyang:
1. Loss to Johnny Walker – TKO (leg kicks and punches), UFC Fight Night 257 (August 23, 2025)
2. Win over Anthony Smith – TKO (elbows), UFC on ESPN (April 26, 2025)
3. Win over Ozzy Diaz – TKO (elbow and punches), UFC Fight Night (November 23, 2024)
4. Win over Brendson Ribeiro – KO (punches), UFC 298 (February 17, 2024)
5. Win over Tuko Tokkos – KO (punches), Road to UFC (June 19, 2022)
Last Five Fights – Nikita Krylov:
1. Loss to Bogdan Guskov – KO (punches), UFC on ABC (July 26, 2025)
2. Loss to Dominick Reyes – KO (punch), UFC 314 (April 12, 2025)
3. Win over Ryan Spann – Submission (triangle choke), UFC Fight Night (March 11, 2023)
4. Win over Volkan Oezdemir – Decision (unanimous), UFC 280 (October 22, 2022)
5. Win over Alexander Gustafsson – KO (punches), UFC Fight Night (July 23, 2022)