Chan Sung Jung decides on eye surgery after latest checkup, aims for summer return

Chan Sung Jung will be undergoing eye surgery after all.

UFC featherweight contender Jung (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has been struggling with double vision issues – a problem he’s looking to solve. Although home country doctors dismissed any potential issue, Jung sought a second opinion in the United States.

“Recently, it has been more important for me to figure out my double vision issue,” Jung told MMA Junkie. “It took a long time to get medical exams done and there was a difference with diagnoses between doctors in Korea and Phoenix.”

After getting a second opinion in Phoenix recently, Jung decided he’ll undergo a minor surgery in the coming weeks. With the expected recovery timetable, Jung said he’ll be looking at a summer return to the cage.

“Finally, I decided to get the surgery done in Phoenix soon,” Jung said. “I am sure I will be able to get back to the cage around July or August because the surgeon says it is not a big surgery.”

Jung sits in the top five of the UFC’s official 145-pound rankings. UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is likely to rematch former champ Max Holloway in June.

A fight between Brian Ortega and Zabit Magomedsharipov is rumored for April in Brooklyn. That leaves only one potential top five opponent: Yair Rodriguez.

“Let me make sure I am OK to fight him again,” Jung said. “The fight was great, and that was one of the fights I never want to remove in my career. But I don’t think Yair wants to fight me because he already won the fight against me. I don’t see the reason I need to fight him, either, at this point in time. I expect I will meet him again in the future, and I promise it will be a great fight again.”

Given the landscape and his return timetable, Jung doesn’t think a rematch against Rodriguez is in order. While Ortega interests him slightly, Jung remains solely focused on the champion.

“Right now, my focus goes on Volkanovski,” Jung said. “If it would not work for me to fight the champion, I would be interested in fighting Ortega – but I want to make sure. At this moment, I want to fight Volkanovski.”