UFC News: "Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung on Doo Ho Choi's future in MMA
The "Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung is the closest to becoming a World Champion in MMA from his nation. Currently on a two-fight winning streak following spectacular finishes over Renato Moicano and Frankie Edgar, many believe that the Korean Zombie should be next in line to face Alexander Volkanovski for the Featherweight Championship.
A man who isn't too close, however, is his fellow-South Korean Doo Ho Choi. The 28-year old was pegged as one of the biggest potential Featherweight prospects, but has gone on a 3-fight losing skid, fighting only three times in the last three years.
His most recent defeat was on home soil at UFC Busan where a very tough Charles Jourdain finished him in the second round. With mandatory military service seemingly set to occupy the next two years for Doo Ho Choi, many believe that his MMA career is up in the air. However, Korean Zombie believes that he can bounce back from it, telling MMA Fighting:
“I know how strong Doo Ho Choi is. Anyone who has seen him spar or has sparred with him will know. As long as he keeps his mind at check, he’ll keep on improving because he is still quite young.”
Jung expects that Choi's military service can be beneficial to him in the long run:
“Doo Ho will be undergoing the same [public service] during his time in the military and will be able to train individually like I did. I think one’s ability to improve and develop depends on how you spend that time.
Admitting that two years can be mentally draining, he said that the experience is something that he needs to overcome.
"Two years isn’t a short time so it’s going to be mentally draining, but in order to become a top-class fighter, this is also a milestone that one needs to overcome.”
These words will be beneficial to Choi, who will be around 31 years old when he returns to MMA. However, he has raw talent and skill and can go far in the Featherweight division. Until then, Chan Sung Jung will continue to be the biggest South Korean star in all of MMA.