UFC Fight Night: Ding Meng vs Cameron Nelson Preview & Prediction

Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!

Ding Meng looks for a victory in his sophomore UFC appearance in front of a home crowd, facing off against the debuting Cameron Nelson.

Ding Meng vs Cameron Nelson facts

What time are Ding Meng and Cameron Nelson expected to walk out? 29 August 2026 at 8:10 am

Where is UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song? SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center, Shanghai, China

Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 286

What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount

Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass

UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song main card

Umar Nurmagomedov vs Song Yadong (Bantamweight)

Yan Xiaonan vs Denise Gomes (Women's Strawweight)

Aori Qileng vs Kai Asakura (Bantamweight)

Su Mudaerji vs Alex Perez (Flyweight)

Liu Ce vs Levi Rodrigues Jr. (Light Heavyweight)

Bilal Hasan vs Nilson Rojas (Flyweight)

UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs Song prelims

Namsrai Batbayar vs Andre Lima (Flyweight)

Rei Tsuruya vs Kevin Borjas (Flyweight)

Jack Jenkins vs Sean Woodson (Featherweight)

Xiao Long vs Francesco Nuzzi (Bantamweight)

Lawrence Lui vs Hector Santiago (Bantamweight)

Xiong Jingnan vs Julia Polastri (Women's Strawweight)

Ding Meng vs Cameron Nelson (Welterweight)

Ding Meng: Can the local favorite rebound from a disappointing loss last time out?

A veteran of nearly 50 MMA fights at the age of 31, Meng Ding (35-10) came up short in his first UFC fight, dropping a split decision to Jose Souza in Macau. An unsigned member of the Contender Series class of 2024, Meng lost by decision against Rami Hamed after getting a point deducted for multiple low blows. The Chinese fighter is big for the welterweight division at 6’2” and has 28 wins by way of KO. He’s fought most of his career on the Chinese regional circuit, although his last bout prior to joining the UFC saw him compete in Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat promotion.

Cameron Nelson: The Canadian aiming to make a splash in his debut

Undefeated outside of a split decision loss in his third professional fight, Cameron Nelson (7-1) makes his UFC debut after winning the FLA welterweight strap in his last appearance. There isn’t a great deal of quality tape on Nelson, but he looks to be an extremely aggressive pressure fighter, capable of landing a KO blow on the feet or locking up a submission on the floor. He also looks to be a big welterweight, although his height and reach aren’t officially listed. He’s fought the entirety of his career on the Canadian regional circuit, with his best win coming over a fighter who was 13-7. 

Ding Meng vs Cameron Nelson prediction

On paper, Ding should win this easily. He has more than 40 professional fights under his belt and has scored 28 wins by way of KO; Nelson hasn’t even had ten fights yet and has only fought opposition with winning records on two occasions.

However, while Nelson is completely unproven, Ding does not look to be a UFC level fighter. His last fight against Jose Souza played out in a similar fashion to his unsuccessful audition on the Contender Series; namely, with Ding marching forward and failing to land anything meaningful across 15 minutes. With the greatest of respect, he seems to be on the roster to fill out Chinese cards rather than on his merits as an elite level competitor.

I think this could be a really sloppy fight, with both fighters wading in and trading big shots with little regard to defence. From there, I see two outcomes; either Ding chins Nelson outright as he charges forward or the Canadian manages to ground his opponent and score a tap or GNP stoppage.

In a coin flip match up, give me the younger fighter with less wear on the tracks.

Prediction: Cameron Nelson to win