\u2018Mountain Tiger\u2019 Zhang Mingyang<\/a> introduced himself to the American fans in April when he left former title challenger Anthony Smith in a pool of his own blood for his retirement fight<\/a>. This was Mingyang\u2019s U.S. debut and 19th career finish.<\/p>\n Now, the 27-year-old Zhang is set to take on #13-ranked contender Johnny Walker<\/a> in the headliner of UFC Shanghai<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ahead of the massive opportunity, Zhang revealed who people sometimes mistake him for.<\/p>\n Living in China, Zhang admits he doesn\u2019t get a whole lot of attention yet, but when he does, it\u2019s because of someone else.<\/p>\n Despite the fact he\u2019s 6\u20192\u2033, Zhang says people have confused him for 7\u20196\u2033 NBA legend Yao Ming.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes people [think] I\u2019m Yao Ming,\u201d Zhang told Home of Fight.<\/p>\n Yao played center for the Houston Rockets for nine seasons from 2002 to 2011. One of the tallest basketball players of all time, the Chinese NBA All-Star was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2016.<\/p>\n Their countryman Zhang will look to get more worldwide recognition with his 20th career finish in the five-round main event of UFC Shanghai against Johnny Walker.<\/p>\n Odds have changed drastically for UFC Shanghai co-main event<\/p>\n The odds for Brian Ortega<\/a> vs. Aljamain Sterling<\/a> are much different than they were earlier this week.<\/p>\n Ortega\u2019s look at Friday\u2019s weigh-ins was likely to blame for the odds going into Sterling\u2019s favor in the UFC Shanghai co-main event.<\/p>\n![\"Zhang](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2212170670-scaled.jpg\")
Photo by Josh Hedges\/Zuffa LLCZhang Mingyang says Yao Ming is his celebrity lookalike<\/p>\n