Fistful of yen
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Kang Kyung-ho
Kang vows to impress in UFC Japan before heading to global stage
By Jung Min-ho
After a foot injury delayed his Octagon debut in November last year, mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Kang "Typhoon" Kyung-ho, former bantamweight champion of Korea's Road FC promotion, has vowed to make his mark on the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
The 25-year-old fighter will make his UFC debut Sunday against Alex Caceres of the U.S. at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. Compatriots Kim Dong-hyun, a 31-year-old UFC veteran, and Lim Hyun-kyu, 27, will also feature on the card but while Kim and Lim pretty much seem as finished products, Kang's potential is intriguing.
"I can't sleep thinking about fighting the world's greatest MMA athletes on a stage I have long dreamed about," Kang said in an interview with The Korea Times.
"And yes, I expect to win this fight."
Missing the UFC event in Macau last year was a letdown for Kang, who fractured his toe while kicking a sparring partner two weeks ahead of the bout, also scheduled to be against Caceres. The American instead fought Japanese fighter Motonobu Tezuka and pulled off a split-decision win.
Kang had fancied his chances against Caceres and says he is even more confident now.
"The injury was quite serious but it wasn't like I was sitting around doing nothing," the Korean said.
"I was doing upper body exercises after a week with a cast on my right foot and anything else that I could. I worked harder because that was a good way to ease my anxiety. The bout against Caceres was announced two months ago and by that time I was fully recovered. I have never felt more prepared."
Caceres, who also goes by the nickname "Bruce Leroy," isn't an easy opponent, with a long reach making him a menace in the stand-up game.
While his UFC record of three wins and three loses isn't anything to write home about, the 24-year-old is still considered a unique talent and promising prospect.
Caceres' loss to fellow American Edwin Figueroa last year could be chalked up to bad luck, as he was leading on all score cards but lost by a narrow margin after a two-point deduction for a hit below the belt.
To triumph, Kang knows he has to take him to the ground. Considering the American's striking ability, he can't afford to spend too much time standing there and trading blows.
"Caceres' irregular striking style is definitely something that I have to watch out for. But I am very confident in my grappling ability. I have trained hard with excellent wrestlers from Kyungsung University and my skills are at a point where I will have an advantage in grappling over most opponents," he said.
Kang is entirely a different fighter from when he came onto the MMA scene two years ago, when he was an instinctive striker who was inept in take-downs and grappling skills.
"I thought it would be important to remove any weak points in my game, if the goal is to become the best fighter in UFC," Kang said.
His wrestling skills have enabled him to diversify his attacking pattern and he has evolved into a fighter who is both confident both on his feet and on the ground.
Among his five Road FC victories, four came from submissions with one TKO. He captured the inaugural Road FC bantamweight title on June 16 last year.
What is most important for a UFC victory is, in the end, mentality, Kang said.
"Having sparring sessions with big-name Korean UFC fighters such as Kim Dong-hyun and Jung Chan-sung gave me a confidence boost," he said. "I found myself neck-and-neck in bouts against such athletes."
He nonetheless said the adaptive period will be difficult, saying even Mauricio Shogun Rua had a tough time in UFC initially.
"I think fighters have to show who they are in the ring," Kang said. "And I want to be famous. And when the day comes, it will impossible to have an interview with me at a random cafe because of fans screaming for my autograph."