UFC Shanghai Odds, Picks, Predictions & UFC Best Bets for Walker vs. Zhang
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The Octagon heads to the Shanghai Indoor Stadium in Shanghai, China, this Saturday for a UFC Fight Night card featuring light heavyweight Zhang Mingyang and Johnny Walker in the main event. There are 12 fights on the card, and we will break down the headliner plus two of the undercard bouts in the latest edition of the Bookies.com Best Bets.
UFC odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and current as of publication. Check out our DraftKings Sportsbook Review.
UFC Shanghai Main Event Best Bet
Zhang Mingyang (-355) vs. Johnny Walker (+280)
In the main event of UFC Shanghai, we have a five-round light heavyweight bout between Zhang Mingyang and Dricus Du Plessis. Zhang is a -355 favorite, and I expect him to knock Walker out and collect the biggest win of his MMA career to date.
Zhang is 27, and he is 3-0 in the UFC. The Chinese fighter has looked incredible since he joined the UFC in 2024, winning all three of his fights in brutal fashion by knocking his opponents out in the first round each time. He has the death touch in his hands, and he looks like a prospect to keep your eye on at 205 lbs. Zhang’s overall MMA game hasn’t been tested, and as he moves up in competition, he could lose to more well-rounded fighters. But going up against a striker with a questionable chin like Walker, this is a great matchup stylistically for Zhang.
Walker is 33, and he is 7-6, 1 NC in the UFC. The Brazilian was once the top prospect at 205 lbs in the sport after he won his first three UFC fights by knockout, but he has really struggled in recent years. Walker has lost his last two fights by knockout, and he hasn’t won a fight since May 2023. He still has power in his strikes, but his chin is very brittle at this point, and he doesn’t have much in the way of a grappling attack, making this fight against Zhang a very tough one from a style point of view, as he figures to be outgunned in the striking department.
Zhang should find Walker’s chin in the first round and brutally knock him out in this fight. Take Zhang as a -355 favorite, and target the Zhang props of him winning by TKO under 1.5 rounds.
UFC Shanghai Best Bet: Zhang Mingyang wins at -355 with DraftKings Sportsbook .
Other Shanghai Best Bets
Aljamain Sterling (-270) vs. Brian Ortega (+220)
In the co-main event, Aljamain Sterling battles Brian Ortega at featherweight. Sterling is a -270 favorite, and I’m confident he wins this fight.
Sterling is 36, and he is 16-5 in the UFC. The former UFC bantamweight champion has been in the UFC since 2014, and he has done a great job of winning during that time. He was the best bantamweight in the world for several years, though he moved up to featherweight in 2024. Since moving up to 145 lbs, Sterling has dominantly beaten Calvin Kattar and lost a close decision to top-ranked featherweight Movsar Evloev. Sterling is a phenomenal grappler who has solid striking skills, and he has everything that it takes to be a top contender at featherweight.
Ortega is 34, and he is 8-4, 1 NC in the UFC. The American joined the UFC in 2014, and he has been a staple of the featherweight division since then. He is an incredible submission artist, he is extremely tough, and he has knockout power. However, he has taken a ton of damage during his MMA career, and he appears to be on the decline, having lost three of his last four fights. Ortega’s submission skills figure to be futile against Sterling, making this a difficult stylistic matchup for him, which is why he is such a big underdog right now at the sportsbooks.
I think Sterling will be able to take down Ortega at will and control him on the mat for long durations of this bout. In addition, I view Sterling as the superior striker when the fight stays standing. It all adds up to a Sterling decision win, and I like him here as a -270 favorite.
UFC Shanghai Best Bet: Aljamain Sterling wins at -270 with DraftKings Sportsbook .
Gauge Young (-130) vs. Maheshate (+110)
In a lightweight prelim bout, we have Gauge Young taking on Maheshate. Despite being a +110 underdog, I favor Maheshate to win this fight.
Maheshate is 25, and he is 2-3 in the UFC. The Chinese fighter won a UFC contract following a win on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021, and he picked up a notable knockout win over current top-15 fighter Steve Garcia in his UFC debut back in 2022. Since then, Maheshate has struggled with a 1-3 record, but he has been fighting tough competition. Overall, Maheshate is a very dangerous striker with power in his hands, and this fight against Young is a step down in level of competition compared to some of Maheshate's recent opponents.
Young is 25, and he is 0-1 in the UFC. The American lost on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024, but he was brought to the UFC as a short-notice fill-in and lost a decision to Evan Elder earlier this year. Young is a decent prospect who is well-rounded, tough, and ready to hang in the pocket and bang it out. That being said, he has not faced high-level competition for the most part, and he has no notable wins. He is the betting favorite in this fight, but in my opinion, this line should be flipped, and Maheshate should be the favorite heading into it.
I expect a striking battle between these two fights, one that likely goes the full 15 minutes, as both men are very durable. Still, I see Maheshate landing the bigger shots and having more moments throughout the fight as he gets his hand raised here as a +110 underdog.
UFC Shanghai Best Bet: Maheshate wins at +110 with DraftKings Sportsbook .
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