Intriguing. Enthralling. Violent. Chan Sung Jung, better known by his ring title The Korean Zombie, has always been a fan favourite.
This weekend, UFC Singapore will hit the screens of MMA enthusiasts worldwide. The 36-year-old will be headlining a card brimming from top to bottom with talented prospects and hardened veterans alike, taking on the formidable Max Holloway in front of a sold out Singaporean crowd.
A promotion icon, few will be unaware of the skillset The Korean Zombie possesses. Here, we delve into the backstory and talents of a rounded mixed martial artist.
Career To-Date
Similarly to many professional fighters, Jung’s introduction to combat began following a period of bullying at school. He soon started kickboxing, and honed in on his striking skillset at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, where he majored in Mixed Martial Arts.
Prior to joining the UFC, The Korean Zombie’s early professional period saw him put together an impressive record of 10-2. His first six fights took place in his home country of South Korea, after which he took an unbeaten 6-0 record to Japan where he started to build a reputation that would spread across East Asia.
The featherweight would lose his subsequent duo of fights in the WEC (the UFC’s former sister promotion) to Leonard Garcia and George Roop via split decision and second-round knockout respectively. His bout against Garcia actually earned the pairing WEC’s ‘2009 Fight of the Year‘ award, firmly placing The Korean Zombie on the map.
The at-the-time prospect’s UFC debut came in the form of a Garcia rematch, following the UFC-WEC 2010 merger. He would win via Twister submission, the first of its kind and just one of three throughout UFC history. The Korean Zombie then went on to overcome Mark Hominick and Dustin Poirier, before losing a title shot to UFC Hall of Famer José Aldo via fourth-round knockout.
Promotion fans would then have to wait another 30 months until Jung’s octagon return. By law, South Korean men must complete manditory military service by 30-years-old. This kept the featherweight from competing for two years, however he would stop Dennis Bermudez upon his comeback in 2017.
The Korean Zombie has undergone an inconsistent UFC-run ever since. The Pohang-born fighter has notable first-round finishes against Renato Moicano and Frankie Edgar, with another decision win over Dan Ige. He has also come unstuck against Yair Rodriguez and Brian Ortega, and lost convincingly last time out against Alexander Volkanovski for the 145lb title.
The Korean Zombie: Fighting Style
A lot of The Korean Zombie’s game can be understood from his ring name.
The 36-year-old’s nickname stems from his ‘zombie-like’ ability to continue pressing and fighting aggressively despite succumbing to powerful shots. This style is generally percieved as incredibly entertaining by the mass.
A granite chin isn’t the South Korean’s sole strength. While some may associate this attribute with a flat-track brawler, Jung is a high-level technician on the contrary. He utilises a striking and ground arsenal from a variety of martial arts, and is a black belt in Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Judo and Hapkido.
The Korean Zombie pairs his forward pressing with rapid head movement which allows him to exchange with jabs and hooks from both sides. All six of his knockout victories have come via punches, and he is more than willing to fight in the pocket with any opponent.
A perfect example of this world-class boxing would be Jung’s first-round knockout of Renato Moicano back in 2019. Within the first minute, he effortlessly slips the lead jab, and counters with an overhand right followed by a looping left-hook. This sent the Brazilian crashing to the canvas, from where he was finished via ground-and-pound.
This relentless pressing also comes with obvious downsides. Opponents continuously connect with series’ of strikes, and despite flowing head movements, the hits and therefore points continue adding up. Jung’s chin, however impressive, can only withstand a certain amount. He’s been finished via TKO in over half of his losses, absorbing an insane 138 significant strikes versus Volkanovski.
The sheer amount of damage The Korean Zombie has taken over his illustrious career may start to have an effect as he enters its latter stages. Referee Herb Dean was required to save Jung from himself against ‘The Great‘, after being wobbled one too many times.
Upcoming Fight vs. Holloway
If there is anyone who can consistently inflict damage throughout a fight, it’s Max Holloway.
Jung is ranked eighth in the featherweight division at present, with his upcoming opponent positioned in the #1 spot. Saturday will certainly be another humongous test for The Korean Zombie, as he continues to fight the best at 145lb.
Holloway is the current record holder for career significant strikes in the UFC. With 3,366 to his name, ‘Blessed‘ constantly outstrikes the rest of the promotion roster. Combine this with Jung’s regular gameplan, and it’s difficult to see the South Korean not absorbing a heap of damage.
Holloway is entering the contest off the back of a decision win over British contender Arnold Allen. He also has a recent loss to Volkanovksi, coming up short via decision in the duo’s trilogy fight last year.
The Korean Zombie is coming into Saturday’s main event as the +550 underdog, with his octagon counterpart being seen as a -800 favourite. UK fans will undoubtedly be pleased with the timings, with the preliminary action set to begin at 10am B.S.T.
Do you believe The Korean Zombie can beat Max Holloway at UFC Singapore? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured photo credits to Embed from Getty Images
