UFC on ESPN+ 12 Preview
When first seeing the name Chan Sung Jung most MMA fans might not clue into who exactly is fighting.
That all changes when his nickname is used as the Korean Zombie brings with him a heavy reputation.
That nickname alone tells everyone what type of fighter he is as he is someone who comes forward at all times.
That reputation has made him a fighter that fans want to watch as he has a habit of putting on good fights.
Like so many other fighters with his style though things can be a long trek as coming forward at all costs usually doesn’t mean a lot of success.
For Jung, things are even more complicated as he faces what every Korean fighter faces which makes their time in MMA so precious.
As a Korean citizen, he is required to serve in the Korean military for up to two years between the ages of 18 and 28.
For athletes like fighters, this becomes an issue as they have to essentially lose two years of their careers.
It is not an easy thing for a fighter as the life of a fighter is a tough one and the loss of two years is never an easy thing to deal with.
A fighter could just be getting going in their career when they then have to take time off to serve in the military.
It can stop a career dead and when the fighters come back they essentially have to start all over again.
Jung is going through that rebuild of his career right now as the man who excited so many with his style and unique finishes is trying to find his way back to contention.
When he first entered the UFC he made an impression with the first ever Twister submission to beat Leonard Garcia.
It launched a three-fight win streak before he took his first UFC loss against Jose Aldo for the Featherweight title.
After that title loss, Jung left the UFC to serve in the military ended any momentum he had built even after the loss.
After three years out of the UFC, Jung made his return in 2017 when he took on Dennis Bermudez.
That fight re0introduced everyone to the Korean Zombie as he beat Bermudez with a strong uppercut in the first round.
He was officially back and ready to find his way back to the title but injuries from both himself and other fighters kept him out once again.
After a year out of the octagon, he came back to fight a rising Yair Rodriguez and took the loss with a fifth-round knockout.
Despite his name and his rousing return to the UFC, Jung remains a relatively unknown fighter to the general fanbase.
He has all of the potential to be a star as his style is built for exciting fights and bonuses which translate to plenty of fans.
That needs to be on display as he takes on the main event role at UFC on ESPN+ 12 when he takes on Renato Moicano.
After his own struggles to stay relevant thanks to some key losses like a knockout loss to Jose Aldo in his last fight, Moicano needs to take a bigger name and beat him on a bigger stage.
He will look to take on Jung and take the win to prove that he still belongs among the best featherweights in the UFC.
Jung himself will not only try to put his name on the map for everyone to see but he will be looking to make that climb.
After a win and a loss in his comeback, many wonder if that 3+ year layoff took away his best chance at becoming a champion.
Whether or not he can do it will depend on just how much punishment he can take and dish out when he takes on Moicano.
The Sport Addiction 