This weekend, UFC would experience one of the most-looked-forward to featherweight bouts in a long time. Alex Volkanovski would defend his title against Chan Sung Jung, aka The Korean Zombie. It is not every day we see a UFC event headlined by a featherweight bout, which just shows how intense this weekend’s fight is expected to be.
This would be the third time Volkanovski would be putting his belt on the line since winning it in December 2019 after defeating former champion Max Holloway via unanimous decision. In July 2020, he defeated Holloway again, but this time via a split decision. With a fighting record of 23 wins and 1 loss, Volkanovksi is one of the most impressive fighters in the UFC and is currently ranked number 3 in UFC’s pound-for-pound ranking. His last fight was in September 2021, when he defeated Brian Ortega via unanimous decision. His only loss came early in his career, years before he joined the UFC. A former featherweight champion in the Australian Fighting Championship, Volkanovksi has proven himself over and over again.
Sung Jung has been aiming for the featherweight title for almost nine years now. He lost the chance to win it in 2013, and this is his first title shot since then. It is no surprise that he entered the fight on such short notice, being the replacement for Holloway, who was scheduled to face Volkanovksi for the third time last month.
He has two losses from his last five fights, and his most recent loss was in 2020, in the hands of Brian Ortega, a man Volkanovski defeated. Jung has been in the UFC far longer than his Australian opponent, but his record has not been as sterling. This does not, however, mean that he is a pushover.
Sung Jung has a history of bouncing back after taking heavy-hitting, which is where his nickname, Korean Zombie, comes from. He recently said that the reason for his first loss was due to him being very nervous at a young age, but he believes he is in a much better place and is more confident about winning the title now.
Written by: Leon Osamor
