Chan Sung Jung Resists Retirement, Calls For ‘One More Fight’ In UFC Seoul Homecoming
Two-time UFC featherweight title challenger, ‘The Korean Zombie’ Chan Sung Jung has distanced himself from a speculated retirement from professional mixed martial arts following his one-sided April defeat to Alexander Volkanovski – calling for the promotion to return to his native South Korea for “one more fight”.
Jung, the current #5 ranked featherweight in the official division stack, headliner UFC 273 back in April in Jacksonville, Florida – suffering an eventual fourth round strikes loss against defending undisputed champion, Alexander Volkanovski.
The defeat came as Jung’s second from his three most recent Octagon walks, following a prior damaging loss at the hands of fellow two-time title chaser, Brian Ortega.
In his most recent victory, the Busan-born contender defeated Dan Ige in a UFC Vegas 29 back in June of last year.
In the immediate aftermath of his UFC 273 defeat against Volkanovski, Jung flirted with a potential retirement from the sport, questioning if he had what it takes to ever lift featherweight gold under the UFC banner.
Chan Sung Jung calls for the UFC Octagon to return to his native South Korea
However, almost two months on from his comprehensive loss against Volkanovski, Jung has sights set on securing “one more fight” – as well as urging the UFC to land its Octagon in Seoul for a homecoming event for him.
“Perhaps I’m old, maybe I’m not good enough, so my goal was to always show everything in every fight, but I didn’t show up every time, so that is why I’m still here,” Chan Sung Jung wrote in Korean on his official Instagram account. “I couldn’t prove it in the last fight, and I’m especially disappointed.”
“This is not an excuse for the loss,” Chan Sung Jung explained. “I just have some regrets. I’m not saying that it wasn’t 100 percent me, but I think it is right to put on a performance that I believe in, so that is why I want one more fight. I can’t set any long-term goals. For the time being, one fight… I’ll do it in Seoul. Please hold an event.” (Transcribed by MMA Junkie)
17-7 as a professional, Jung, who returned from military conscription back in 2017 following a four-year stay away from the Octagon, holds other notable career wins against the likes of Leonard Garcia, Mark Hominick, former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier, Dennis Bermudez, Renato Moicano, and former undisputed lightweight titleholder, Frankie Edgar.
