Chan Sung Jung eyes potential opponents for next fight, hints at something fun

Chan Sung Jung’s fights have turned into appointment viewing.

Since returning from mandatory South Korean military service, “The Korean Zombie” has thrilled fans in each of his four fights, win or lose.

Most recently, Jung (16-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) took out former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar in swift fashion. Jung ended Edgar’s night at 3:18 of Round 1 at UFC Busan due to strikes.

“Before getting into the octagon, I was aiming to go to the fifth round, but Eddie Cha told me that it won’t go beyond (the) second round,” Jung told MMA Junkie. “I didn’t put my bet on it, but through this, I was able to realize that Eddie knows me better than I do. I knew that one strike was all it was going to take during that 25 minutes, but I never knew it was going to happen in the first round.”

After the fight, Jung took to the microphone to call for a shot against recently crowned UFC 145-pound champion Alexander Volkanovski. Since the fight, Jung said he’s heard some rumblings about an exciting next matchup.

“I’m not sure. I’m already hearing words coming from the UFC,” Jung said. “The conversations Sean Shelby, Dana White, and more are having, I can’t reveal everything. All I know is that it’s just going to be a whole lot of fun.”

If not Volkanovski, Jung sees three other viable options for his next fight. Other contenders might be available and if so, Jung is interested.

“Right now, other than Volkanovski, I’m thinking Zabit (Magomedsharipov), (Brian) Ortega, (or Max) Holloway,” Jung said. “If I’m not able to contend for the title shot, then I’d like to face one of the three.”

A win over Magomedsharipov, Ortega, or Holloway would presumably elevate Jung closer to his second UFC title shot. The promotion has never had a Korean champion. Jung, who lost to then-champ Jose Aldo in 2013, aims to be the first.

“The day I am given the opportunity for a title shot will be the day I become the champion,” Jung said. “I get a feeling that I won’t ever lose. Becoming the champion will mean that I have achieved my goal, and through that, I will also be able to prove that Asian men are strong as every other man.”

Jung has won three out his four fights since dislocating his shoulder in his lone title challenge in 2013. His only loss since that time was a last-second knockout defeat to Yair Rodriguez. In 2019, Jung went 2-0 with two first-round finishes due to strikes over Edgar and Moicano.