Johnny Walker is set to step into the Octagon against No. 14-ranked light heavyweight Zhang Mingyang at UFC Fight Night in Shanghai, China. The Brazilian weighed in at 206 lbs, while Mingyang came in at 205, with both fighters successfully making weight for the highly anticipated headliner. With the bout now just hours away, Walker’s wife, Tara Campbell, breathed a sigh of relief that her husband cleared the scales.

Tara shared a pair of pictures comparing Walker’s most recent weight cut with his cut before facing an opponent before his son’s birth, Caio Alan Walker. At that time, Walker was anxiously awaiting the birth of his son. In the image, he could be seen holding up the pictures from their ultrasound. Now, years later, he completed fight week with his son by his side. Reflecting on the journey, Tara captioned the photos with a special message for the 33-year-old ahead of his main event fight.

“This weight cut vs. a previous 🥹 So proud of you @johnnywalker,” Tara wrote. While not much is known about Johnny Walker’s son, the couple shares glimpses of him on social media from time to time. They tied the knot in 2022, and a year into their marriage, they had their first son. In a post introducing him to the world, Walker wrote, “Let’s welcome to the world little Caio Alan Walker the world is all yours. Thanks to [Tara Campbell].” He added, “I’m so proud of you and how amazing you were giving birth. Very brave woman.”

In an interview with Sherdog recently, Walker reflected on fatherhood and how it changed his life. “More than anything, I’m a father now,” he said. “That changes everything. I didn’t grow up with a dad, and I’ll never let my son feel that same emptiness. I want to give him everything I didn’t have when I was young: love, guidance, discipline, opportunity.”

He added, “I want to raise a strong, kind, resilient young man. If I became who I am today with nothing, imagine what he could become with support.” Regardless, as far as his next fight is concerned, there’s no doubt in his mind who will win.

Johnny Walker shares a prediction for the fight against Zhang Mingyang

Ahead of the fight, Walker feels his future is written in stone, and Zhang Mingyang can’t change it. For the Brazilian light heavyweight, fighting feels instinctive. “It’s what I was born to be,” Walker told reporters. “When the cage closes behind me, it’s a primal feeling. Something inside me wakes up. It makes me happy, it makes me free—and of course, it lets me provide for my family.”

Walker made it clear he plans to stick to his strengths on fight night. “No. I’m a striker, and I’m going to strike him,” he said when asked if he would test Zhang’s grappling. The 33-year-old sees parallels between his opponent and a younger version of himself. “He looks like me a few years ago. He’s just too young, I believe, to beat me now. He needs more experience. It’s going to be a big test.”

It appears Tara Campbell is relieved that Johnny Walker has made weight for his fight. But only time will tell whether he can win. What are your predictions?