Menifield silences Macau crowd with first-round knockout of Zhang Mingyang

Alonzo Menifield knocked out Zhang Mingyang at 4:15 of the first round in the co-main event of UFC Macau at Galaxy Arena on Saturday, handing the Chinese heavyweight a second straight loss in front of his home crowd and delivering one of the night’s most emphatic upsets.

Zhang entered the bout carrying momentum from a 3-0 start to his UFC career, but that run had already been interrupted by a knockout loss to Johnny Walker in the UFC Shanghai main event this past August. His reputation as a dangerous first-round finisher did little to change Menifield’s approach — the American walked straight into the pocket and traded heavy punches from the opening bell.

Menifield gradually took control, backing Zhang against the fence and landing hook after hook until Zhang’s guard collapsed entirely. There was no scramble for a takedown, no tactical retreat — just relentless forward pressure that wore down a fighter known for his own explosive power.

Afterwards, Menifield was asked whether the plan had always been to stand and trade with such a dangerous striker. He did not hesitate. “Damn right that was the goddamn plan,” he said. “I’m going to come in here and fight him. You think I’m going to run and wrestle? Hell no. I came here and I fought him and I got him.”

The win improves Menifield’s overall record to 18-7-1 and his UFC mark to 11-6-1. He has now won three of his last four fights, bouncing back from a knockout defeat to Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Qatar this past November. The performance re-establishes him as a credible presence in the light heavyweight division.

For Zhang, now 19-8, the back-to-back losses on home soil represent a significant setback. Having arrived in the UFC with considerable fanfare and a perfect 3-0 start, he has now been stopped in consecutive high-profile appearances in China, raising questions about where he goes next in the rankings.