The UFC demonstrated its enduring appeal to Chinese fans by returning to Shanghai for the first time since 2017, giving spectators at Shanghai Indoor Stadium plenty to cheer about and enjoy during the fight nights this weekend.

The rising Chinese mixed martial arts talent has given UFC ample justification to continue expanding in the Chinese market, even though Johnny Walker spoiled Zhang Mingyang's homecoming in Saturday's main card final bout by defeating the Chinese light heavyweight and delivering a second-round TKO finish.

According to Kevin Chang, Senior Vice President of UFC Asia Pacific, "The Shanghai Fight Night achieved record attendance, becoming one of the most successful UFC events in history. There is no reason the UFC won't return to Shanghai and China soon, as evidenced by the impressive crowds on both nights."

The Shanghai Indoor Stadium can hold over 12,000 people. All tickets for Fight Night were sold out, with more than half of the buyers coming from outside of Shanghai.

Despite the absence of well-known athletes such as Song Yadong and Zhang Weili from the Shanghai event, the up-and-coming UFC fighters led by Zhang Mingyang dominated the box office.

On Friday, the home crowd enthusiastically cheered and supported well-known fighters such as Li Kaiwen and Shi Ming, a full-time doctor.

As the final event on Saturday neared, Zhang and Walker swung for the fences and attempted to end the fight quickly, exchanging sporadic heavy blows in the first round. Walker's low kick to Zhang early in the second elicited a response from "The Mountain Tiger."

Zhang collapsed in pain, allowing his opponent to land a barrage of blows that eventually forced referee Marc Goddard to intervene and call the fight off at 2:37 of Round 2.

In the earlier co-main event, Aljamain Sterling defeated Brian Ortega by unanimous decision.