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UFC Shanghai winner disputes controversial moment from shocking main event upset

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Johnny Walker has attempted to clear the air regarding a controversial moment from last weekend’s UFC Shanghai main event.

The UFC returned to Shanghai, China, last Saturday with a 12-fight card loaded with Chinese talent, and in the night’s main event Mingyang Zhang was given the chance to score a huge win in his home country when he took on Walker.

Things didn't end up going to script, as Walker rallied to stop “Mountain Tiger” with strikes in the second round to hand Zhang his first UFC loss and also end a 12-fight win streak where the Chinese star had finished every single opponent inside the first round.

Johnny Walker Denies Faking Glove Touch At UFC Shanghai

There was some significant controversy around the light heavyweight bout’s finishing sequence in the immediate aftermath of the event, as Walker appeared to land several strikes to the back of Zhang’s head before being awarded the TKO victory.

Some fans also argued that Walker appeared to fake a glove touch before shooting for a takedown once the fight began, but the Brazilian claims that he never had any intention of touching gloves again after the two light heavyweights met in the center of the cage with the referee.

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“I didn’t fake anything,” Walker told MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz. “[I] went there with my hand up because we had already touched gloves before the fight started. Touch gloves, each one back to their corner, and I wasn't even looking at his face anymore. I went there with my hand hanging and shot for a takedown. I didn't go there to touch gloves."

Fan Favorite Scores First Win Since 2023

Controversy aside, the win at UFC Shanghai was a much-needed result for Walker after the UFC veteran was knocked out in back-to-back fights against Volkan Oezdemir and current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Magomed Ankalaev last year.

Zhang entered his first UFC main event after securing three-straight “Performance of the Night” bonuses to kick off his UFC career, and “Mountain Tiger” was lined as a sizeable pre-fight favorite to extend his winning run against Walker.

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The upset-win move Walker up one spot in the UFC light heavyweight rankings to #12, but the biggest rankings shift following UFC Shanghai came after former UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling dominated Brian Ortega in a five-round catchweight co-main event and moved up to the #5 spot in the featherweight division.