April is set to mark Anthony Smith’s final walk to the octagon, as he is expected to face Zhang Mingyang at UFC Kansas City on April 26.
Sources close to the promotion have confirmed that Smith will be looking to conclude his career after his 59th professional fight and 25th octagon appearance. Despite coming off back-to-back losses in 2024, Smith started the year strong with a submission win against Vitor Petrino at UFC 301 in May.
Meanwhile, Zhang enters the matchup with an impressive 11-fight win streak and the chance to break into the UFC’s light heavyweight rankings. After earning a contract with a stunning knockout on Road to UFC in 2022, Zhang made his octagon debut a year ago with a first-round knockout over Bendson Ribiero. He followed that up with another impressive knockout win over Ozzy Diaz at UFC Macau in November.
This report includes contributions from Damon Martin.