UFC Shanghai Picks for Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang and Other Fights on August 23

If you’re after UFC Shanghai picks, you’re at the right place because we have betting predictions for every fight on the August 23 card.

Keep reading to see our analysis of the main event – Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang – as well as to check out our top UFC Shanghai underdog bets.  

On top of that, we’ll also provide you with our predictions for all remaining fights on the card.

Johnny Walker vs. Zhang Mingyang: Chinese Star Ready for Another KO Win?

Johnny Walker (21-9-1) heads into UFC Shanghai on a two-fight skid, both by brutal knockouts at the hands of Magomed Ankalaev and Volkan Oezdemir. One more loss, and he’s likely out of the Top 15.

Still, the Brazilian’s power is undeniable. Sixteen of his 21 wins have come by KO, with names like Paul Craig and Khalil Rountree being on that list.

The problem? Zhang Mingyang isn’t just a knockout artist; he’s on a knockout god. The Chinese contender (19-6) rides a 12-fight finish streak, with his last nine all ending via KO/TKO.

This includes first-round demolitions of Brendson Ribeiro, Ozzy Diaz, and Anthony Smith. Against Smith, Zhang absorbed only 10 strikes before shutting the fight down in under five minutes. We expect him to hunt for the same against Johnny Walker in Shanghai.

Reasons Ortega Is Our Top UFC Shanghai Underdog Pick

Next up on our list of the top UFC Shanghai picks is Brian Ortega (16-4-1), a guy with an amazing portfolio. He’s only ever lost to the elite: Max Holloway, Alexander Volkanovski, Yair Rodriguez, and Diego Lopes.

When it comes to his wins, his revenge over Rodriguez in 2024 with an arm-triangle win remains one of his career highlights. Unfortunately, after such a fantastic performance, he lost to Diego Lopes (by decision) in the following fight. Now, he’s looking to bounce back.

Aljamain Sterling (24-5), meanwhile, has looked shaky at featherweight. He beat Calvin Kattar but came up short against Movsar Evloev in a wrestling-heavy battle where his submission threat was nowhere to be found.

With Aljo’s grappling finishing instincts dormant for years, Ortega’s sharper striking makes him the pick.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta – Another Underdog to Watch Out For

Another underdog we like is Waldo Cortes-Acosta (14-1). Since his lone loss in 2023, he’s reeled off five straight, tightening up his wrestling and stacking wins over Robelis Despaigne, Ryan Spann, and Serghei Spivac.

Sitting at No. 6, a win over Sergei Pavlovich would push him right into title contention. The Russian is a big guy with long arms and an instinct for a knockout, but the fact is that he looked bad in his last three fights.

He got KO’d by Tom Aspinall after just 69 seconds. Then, he lost the striking battle to Alexander Volkov.

Finally, he bounced back last February with a decision win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, which saw him do well wrestling-wise. Our prediction, however, is that it won’t work against WCA.

UFC Shanghai Picks for All Remaining Fights

• Maheshate Hayisaer vs. Gauge Young – Maheshate Hayisaer
• Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Charles Johnson – Lone’er Kavanagh
• Rongzhu vs. Austin Hubbard – Rongzhu
• Michel Pereira vs. Kyle Daukaus – Michel Pereira
• Yizha vs. Westin Wilson – Yizha
• Xiao Long vs. You Suyoung – You Suyoung

We’re backing favorites in all UFC Shanghai prelims apart from the final one. In the Maheshate Hayisaer vs. Gauge Young, we’re backing the underdog. The thing is that Hayisaer is a pretty good striker who could land just enough significant strikes to make the judges score in his favor.

In the Yizha vs. Westin Wilson fight, we wouldn’t bet on either fighter. Yizha’s UFC Shanghai odds are super short (-1300), so there’s not much value in backing him, especially given that Westin Wilson isn’t a can.