Road to UFC 2 - Bantamweight Finale: South Korea's Chang Ho Lee overcomes Chinese challenge in split-decision battle to punch ticket to UFC

The Road to UFC 2 - Bantamweight Finals ended with a Xiao Long vs. Chang Ho Lee showdown. The bout was the first order of business on the UFC Saudi Arabia card, and was hard-fought by both bantamweights. Lee pitted his 9-1 record against the far more experienced Long, who was 26-8 heading into the clash.

Unfortunately, his ample cage time didn't give him the edge in experience he would have wanted, as he fell to Lee via split-decision with the scorecards consisting of 28-29, 29-28, 29-28 verdicts from the judges. The win means that Lee is now officially part of the UFC roster.

Check out Chang Ho Lee celebrating his Road to UFC 2 tournament final win:

Moreover, the win also crowns him as the Road to UFC 2 tournament champion. The real dream, however, will be capturing the UFC bantamweight belt. That, though, will be a tall task, as Lee will now find himself in shark-infested waters, with the bantamweight division being among the deepest in the promotion.

He has a long climb to the top, during which he will have to adjust to numerous stylistic matchups. However, the wrestling skills and tenacity he brings to the octagon will prove invaluable as the challenges get tougher. Now at 10-1, Lee hasn't tasted defeat in two years, and is on a four-fight win streak.

He will have to continue racking up more victories if he hopes to become South Korea's first-ever UFC champion. The country's own Chan Sung Jung twice competed for the promotion's featherweight title, but came up short each time. It will be up to Lee to determine whether he will emulate 'The Korean Zombie.'

To be an action fighter beloved by the fans for the entertainment value he brings to the cage is one thing, but immortalizing himself as a titleholder in the sport's premier promotion is an accomplishment enjoyed by few. That journey begins now for the Road to UFC 2 tournament winner.

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