Zhang Mingyang is quickly making a name for himself in the UFC, main eventing a big event in just his fourth fight for the promotion.
After earning a contract through the Road to UFC series, Zhang Mingyang started off his career with successive, impressive knockout wins in the Light Heavyweight division.
As he prepares for the main event of UFC Shanghai, here is everything you need to know about the “Mountain Tiger” Zhang Mingyang.
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How old is Zhang Mingyang?
Mingyang was born on August 16, 1998, making him 27 years old as of August 2025. He was born in Fuyang, Anhui, China, where he trained in martial arts in a Shaolin Monastery before switching to MMA after becoming a fan of the UFC.
Zhang Mingyang’s height, weight, and reach
Mingyang stands at six feet two inches, equivalent to 188 cm. He fights in the UFC Light Heavyweight division, which has a weight limit of 205 lbs, and he also has a reach of 75 inches (191 cm).
Zhang Mingyang’s Instagram and X/Twitter
Mingyang has a strong presence on social media, despite many of the platforms being banned in China. He has amassed over 39,000 followers on Instagram on the account mingyang08.
He does not currently have an X (formerly known as Twitter) account, likely because the platform is blocked in China.
Zhang Mingyang’s MMA record
| Record (W-L-D) | (T)KO | Sub |
| 19-6-0 | 13-3 | 6-2 |
Zhang Mingyang’s UFC stats
| Significant Strikes Landed per Minute | 10.91 |
| Significant Striking Accuracy | 64% |
| Significant Strikes Absorbed per Minute | 4.55 |
| Significant Strike Defense (the % of opponents’ strikes that did not land) | 53% |
| Average Takedowns Landed per 15 minutes | 0.0 |
| Takedown Accuracy | n/a |
| Takedown Defense (the % of opponents’ TD attempts that did not land) | 50% |
| Average Submissions Attempted per 15 minutes | 0.0 |
Zhang Mingyang’s next fight
Mingyang’s next fight is in the main event of UFC Shanghai, where he faces Johnny Walker in a Light Heavyweight clash.
UFC Shanghai marks the promotion’s return to China, with the “Mountain Tiger” receiving top billing for his fight, despite some criticism from fans.
Zhang Mingyang vs. Anthony Smith
Mingyang conquered his first big challenge in the UFC when he took on Anthony Smith at UFC on ESPN 66.
The Chinese fighter battled in the co-main event of the fight and was the underdog in his bout against Smith.
However, he made light work of the American fighter, who retired from the UFC after being knocked out in the first round of his fight with Mingyang.
Zhang Mingyang vs. Brendson Ribeiro
On his UFC debut, Mingyang came out of the blocks with an incredible finish to announce himself as a top fighter in the United States.
The Mountain Tiger unleashed an incredible combination to send Brendson Ribeiro to the mat in the first round at UFC 298, uncorking a beautiful left hook to shock his opponent.
He began raining down hammer fists on Ribeiro, but the fight was already over, a clean, one-round knockout win announcing himself on the world stage in style.
Zhang Mingyang on Road to UFC
Mingyang earned his UFC contract by competing on the Road to UFC show.
The show was created to attract the top Asian mixed martial artists to the UFC, which included the Chinese Mingyang.
In the first episode, he knocked out Tuko Tokkos in the first round to earn a deal with the UFC and kick off his career in the United States, despite being the underdog in the bout.