UFC light heavyweight prospect Zhang Mingyang sent the Anaheim crowd into a frenzy with a wild knockout in his promotional debut.
Mingyang faced fellow debutee Brendson Ribeiro on the UFC 298 preliminary card. It was a chess match in the opening minute of the fight with both light heavyweights having their moments with their striking.
After briefly protesting a possible eye poke by Ribeiro, Mingyang landed a fight-ending left hook to earn a triumphant UFC debut.
Zhang Mingyang shines at UFC 298 with one-punch KO
Watch Mingyang get the finish below.
Mingyang Zhang asks the referee that they hit him in the eyes and then finishes his rival with a left hook #UFC298 pic.twitter.com/Arrd6lHRB4
— Haduucken (@ContentFight) February 18, 2024
Mingyang isn't lacking confidence after the biggest win of his fighting career. He called for a big money fight for his second UFC appearance during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
Here's what MMA Twitter had to say about Mingyang's statement win.
UFC should try to turn this guy around ASAP. This was his first fight in like two years. Get this man back in the Octagon as soon as possible, and don’t put him in the Apex. #UF298
— Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) February 18, 2024
Mountain Tiger, Left Hand 2 God... the good nicknames are firing on all cylinders tonight #UFC298
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) February 18, 2024
Zhang Mingyang already called out Alex Pereira?
— Matthew Wells (@MrMWells) February 18, 2024
Oh my. This dude means business. #UFC298
Man wants a spot on UFC 300
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) February 18, 2024
Zhang Mingyang called for an eye poke, Mike Beltran denied him, Zhang said f*ck it and knocked out Brendson Ribeiro #UFC298
— Jake Foley🇺🇸🥋 (@JFoMMATalk) February 18, 2024
pic.twitter.com/kwz2dVVVFw
O-M-G. Zhang Mingyang with a devastating knockout in the first round.
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) February 18, 2024
No clue how far this guy will go but I feel like he's always going to be fun to watch #UFC298
Mingyang is the first Chinese light heavyweight or heavyweight fighter to earn a win in the UFC Octagon. This was also his first fight in almost two years after earning a shot in the UFC via 'Road to UFC' in 2022.
Mingyang has won 10 consecutive fights since Oct. 2019. Before making his way to the UFC Octagon, he enjoyed successful stints in Huya FC and WLF W.A.R.S.
Mingyang attracted the UFC's attention when he won the then-vacant WLF MMA heavyweight tournament championship in Jan. 2021. During his current streak, every one of Mingyang's wins has come by first-round stoppage.
Mingyang's up-and-down early start to his career has been followed up by a dominant run in MMA. He's one of the top Chinese-born prospects in UFC history and figures to potentially get a quick push up the light heavyweight ranks.
Zhang Weili, Yan Xiaonan, Song Yadong, and Mingyang are a new breed of Chinese MMA fighters. Like his UFC predecessors, he'll look to potentially earn his way into the title picture in the coming years.
Follow along with all the latest UFC 298 live results and highlights here.