Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
2 Korean fighters set for UFC bouts in Macau
From left, mixed-martial arts fighter Lim Hyun-gyu, ring girl Kang Ye-bin and fighter Kim Dong-hyun pose at Saturday’s UFC Macau event before leaving Seoul, Friday. /Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
Two Korean fighters are set to bring “hallyu” or the Korean wave, to the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) landscape. Kim Dong-hyun, 30, and Lim Hyun-gyu, 27, will participate in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Macau bout on Saturday.
“The Stun Gun” Kim will fight Brazilian Paulo Thiago after an unfortunate loss to Demian Maia due to a “severe muscle spasm” three months ago, while Lim is ready to make his UFC debut against David Mitchell from the U.S. Both will compete in the welterweight class.
“This will be my 10th UFC match, and I’m really proud of it,” Kim said at Wednesday’s press conference in Macau. “I have put every ounce of my energy to erase the frustration from the last bout and to fight well here. Without having to worry about jet lag, I’m confident of performing better this time.”
Kim’s latest defeat was a shock to the 30-year-old especially after his first mixed-martial arts (MMA) career loss to Mexican-American Carlos Condit last year that ended a winning streak that ran from his debut in 2004.
Thiago is a well-rounded jiu-jitsu practitioner who is famous for his nimble submission moves and striking prowess. The former Brazilian special forces member has an impressive MMA record of 14 wins and four losses. But the good news for Kim is the Brazilian appears to be less competitive these days. Since he entered UFC in 2010, Thiago has only won half of his eight bouts.
“Thiago’s unconventional striking style seems threatening. But I think I’m more favored as the event is being held in Asia,” Kim said. “I want him to feel the difficulties I go through whenever I have a fight in the U.S.”
Kim’s size advantage with his 185-centimeter height and 194-centimeter reach against Thiago, who stands at 180 centimeters with a 189-centimeter reach, is expected to give the Korean fighter an edge. Although Kim is a good wrestler, he needs to employ grappling skills carefully knowing that the Brazilian has earned a reputation for submission moves, responsible for eight of his victories.
Jumping into the MMA world at the age of 21, Lim immediately received extensive attention because of his physical condition. At 187 centimeters tall, his 2-meter reach is one of the longest in the division. And he knows how to take advantage of it.
Seven of Lim’s 10 MMA victories have been from a knock-out punch, and five have come in the first round. Although it remains to be seen whether he will see continued success in the world’s biggest MMA organization, he seemed confident of his first UFC triumph against the American fighter.
“I’m not nervous just because my opponent has a very different fighting style from mine,” Lim was quoted as saying by Mfight on Tuesday. “I’m confident I won’t falter. Even though I do, I’m just going to trust myself and try to adjust to the situation. Of course, a first round knockout win is what I’m hoping for.”
Mitchell is excellent at forcing submissions. Since his MMA debut in 2006, the 33-year-old has nine submission wins out of his 11 in total, although he has lost both his UFC fights in recent months.
Given the two fighters’ different fortes, Lim’s success seems to hinge on how to capitalize on his physical superiority, while avoiding Mitchell’s adept ground skills.
Another Korean fighter, Kang Kyung-ho, was going to take on Alex Caceres of the U.S. in the bantamweight division for his first appearance in the Octagon in Macau, but a fractured foot and ligament injury sustained last month has seen him pull out.
Korean ring girl Kang Ye-bin is due to make her UFC debut Saturday. The former host of “UFC Inside” on cable channel Super Action will be the first Korean “Octagon Girl.”