It looks like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be returning to South Korea.
The UFC held its first event in South Korea back in Nov. 2015. The card was held inside the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul. A welterweight tilt between former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and Jorge Masvidal headlined the event.
One glaring omission from the card was Chan Sung Jung. That’s because the featherweight bruiser was serving his mandatory military duties for South Korea. Jung recently admitted it was tough for him to watch the UFC’s debut in his home rather than participate.
After knocking out Dennis Bermudez this past Saturday night (Feb. 4), the “Korean Zombie” is likely to get his wish. UFC President Dana White told Megan Olivi (via MMAFighting.com) that Jung’s performance likely earned him a bout in South Korea:
“Very impressive, and he pumped some excitement into UFC Korea. (UFC Owner) Ari (Emanuel) and I have been talking about going to Korea, so I think tonight he sealed the deal.”
Many fans and analysts were wondering how Jung would perform after being away from active competition for so long. White was impressed with Jung’s ability to take out the No. 9 ranked featherweight after the long absence:
“Let me tell you what, Dennis Bermudez is as nasty a fighter as you will ever face, and he came in tonight with all the advantages. And the Zombie, he performed again. This guy is a phenomenal athlete. He’s a great fighter. And man, is he a finisher.”
The “Korean Zombie’s” bout against “The Menace” was his first since Aug. 2013. He was stopped by Jose Aldo in a 145-pound title bout. His victory over Bermudez was his first since May 2012. He submitted Dustin Poirier in the fourth round. Jung earned “Fight of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” bonuses on that night.
