Chan Sung Jung will get his second crack at a UFC title in a week’s time.
If “The Korean Zombie” is finally going to have a UFC belt around his waist, though, he’s going to have to go through a man who has been nearly unstoppable in his MMA career: champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Volkanovski (23-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) takes on Jung (17-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in the UFC 273 main event April 9 at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Jung had a featherweight title in 2013 against Jose Aldo, but was stopped with a fourth-round TKO. He’s 4-2 since then and has this shot thanks to a Max Holloway injury. Holloway was set for a third fight with Volkanovski until he had to pull out of the fight. Now he’s waiting in the wings, and the “Zombie” has his shot.
Volkanovski has just one loss in his pro career, and it came nearly nine years ago. He’s perfect in the UFC, and his most recent five wins have been against former title challenger Chad Mendes; ex-champ Aldo; Holloway to win the belt, then Holloway in a rematch; and Brian Ortega, in which he fought off two deep submission attempts in a Fight of the Night winner.
In the video above, go inside what is shaping up to be a great title banger on paper at UFC 273.
UFC 273: Preview the Alexander Volkanovski vs. ‘Korean Zombie’ featherweight title fight