The Korean Zombie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jung Chan-sung |
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Jung in July 2013
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| Born | Jung Chan-sung March 17, 1987 Pohang, South Korea |
| Native name | 정찬성 |
| Other names | The Korean Zombie |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 145 lb (66 kg) |
| Division | Featherweight (2008–2023) Lightweight (2007) |
| Reach | 72 in (183 cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Seoul, South Korea |
| Team | Korean Zombie MMA Fight Ready (2019–2023) |
| Rank | 3rd dan black belt in Hapkido 2nd dan black belt in Taekwondo Black belt in Judo Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Santino Defranco |
| Years active | 2007–2023 |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 21 |
| Wins | 15 |
| By knockout | 11 |
| Losses | 6 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 25 |
| Wins | 17 |
| By knockout | 6 |
| By submission | 8 |
| By decision | 3 |
| Losses | 8 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| By decision | 3 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul |
정찬성
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| Hanja |
鄭讚成
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| Revised Romanization | Jeong Chan-seong |
| McCune–Reischauer | Chŏng Ch'an-sŏng |
Jung Chan-sung (Hangul: 정찬성; born March 17, 1987), also known as Chan Sung Jung, is a former professional mixed martial artist from South Korea. He is famous by his ring name The Korean Zombie.
He competed in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Jung started his professional career in 2007. Before joining the UFC, he fought for other groups like the WEC, Pancrase, World Victory Road, and DEEP. His nickname, The Korean Zombie, comes from his amazing ability to keep moving forward and fighting hard, even after taking strong hits.
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Jung's Early Life and Training
Jung Chan-sung was born in Pohang, South Korea, in 1987. When he was a teenager, he moved to Namyangju, a city near Seoul. Because he was smaller and from a rural area, other kids often bullied him. This led to him getting into many fights.
When Jung was about 14 years old, his aunt took him to a nearby Hapkido gym. She wanted him to learn how to defend himself. He trained in Kickboxing until his junior year of high school. Later, he also started training in Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
At 18, Jung joined the South Korean Navy and began training in Taekwondo. In 2007, he won a Sambo tournament. In December of the same year, he won the Lightweight division of the Pancrase Korea Neo-Blood Tournament. Jung started his professional mixed martial arts career when he was 20. In May 2008, he won KOREA-FC's 8-man MMA tournament in the 65 kg division.
Jung's Mixed Martial Arts Career
Jung's professional fighting journey began in June 2007. He quickly showed his talent by winning tournaments in Korea and Japan.
Fighting in Japan
In 2008, Jung won two fights for a Japanese group called DEEP. He then joined the 2009 Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix. He won his first fight by using a submission move called a rear-naked choke. However, he was later knocked out of the tournament by Masanori Kanehara. Many people thought Jung should have won that fight.
Fighting in the WEC
Jung then signed with World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) in the United States. His first fight there was against Leonard Garcia in April 2010. Jung lost this fight by a close decision that many fans disagreed with. Even so, this fight was so exciting that it was named the Fight of the Night and later the Fight of the Year by a sports news group.
Jung's next WEC fight was in September 2010 against George Roop. He lost this fight by a head kick knockout.
Joining the UFC
Jung joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 2011.
Famous Wins
- Rematch with Leonard Garcia: In March 2011, Jung got a chance to fight Leonard Garcia again. This time, Jung won by using a rare submission move called a twister. This was the first time anyone had ever won a UFC fight with a twister! This win earned him the Submission of the Night award and was later named Submission of the Year. Jung said he learned the move from watching videos online.
- Fastest Knockout: In December 2011, Jung fought Mark Hominick. He won the fight by knockout in just seven seconds! This was one of the fastest knockouts in UFC history at the time. This win also earned him a Knockout of the Night bonus.
- Fight of the Year: In May 2012, Jung faced Dustin Poirier. Jung won this exciting fight with a submission in the fourth round. This performance earned him Submission of the Night and both fighters received Fight of the Night honors. Many sports groups called this the Fight of the Year and Submission of the Year for 2012. After this fight, Jung started using the song "Zombie" by The Cranberries as his entrance music for every fight.
Championship Fight and Military Service
In August 2013, Jung got to challenge José Aldo for the UFC Featherweight Championship. Unfortunately, Jung lost the fight in the fourth round after dislocating his shoulder.
In late 2014, Jung announced that he would take a break from fighting to complete his mandatory military service in South Korea. He returned to fighting after two years.
Return to the Octagon
Jung came back to the UFC in February 2017 and won his fight against Dennis Bermudez by knockout in the first round. This earned him a Performance of the Night award.
In November 2018, Jung had another exciting fight against Yair Rodríguez. He lost this fight by knockout in the very last second of the fifth round. Both fighters received Fight of the Night honors for their amazing performance.
Jung continued to have impressive wins, including technical knockouts against Renato Moicano in June 2019 and Frankie Edgar in December 2019, both earning him Performance of the Night awards.
He later had a rematch with Brian Ortega in October 2020, which he lost by decision. In June 2021, he won a fight against Dan Ige by decision. After this win, he earned a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Final Fights and Retirement
In April 2022, Jung challenged for the UFC Featherweight Championship again, this time against Alexander Volkanovski. He lost the fight in the fourth round.
Jung's last fight was against Max Holloway in August 2023. He lost this fight by knockout in the third round. After the fight, Jung announced his retirement from mixed martial arts. This final fight also earned both fighters a Fight of the Night award.
Jung's Achievements and Awards
Jung Chan-sung received many awards and honors during his career:
Mixed Martial Arts Awards
* Submission of the Night (2 times): for his wins against Leonard Garcia and Dustin Poirier. * Knockout of the Night (1 time): for his win against Mark Hominick. * Fight of the Night (3 times): for his fights against Dustin Poirier, Yair Rodríguez, and Max Holloway. * Performance of the Night (3 times): for his wins against Dennis Bermudez, Renato Moicano, and Frankie Edgar. * He is tied for the third most Post-Fight bonuses in the UFC Featherweight division history (9 bonuses). * Fastest finish in UFC Featherweight division history (7 seconds vs. Mark Hominick). * Fastest knockout in UFC Featherweight division history (7 seconds vs. Mark Hominick). * He was the first fighter in UFC history to win with a Twister submission.
- UFC.com Awards
* 2011: Ranked #2 Submission of the Year (vs. Leonard Garcia), Best Submission of the 1st Half-Year (vs. Leonard Garcia), Ranked #8 Knockout of the Year (vs. Mark Hominick). * 2012: Submission of the Year (vs. Dustin Poirier), Best Fight of the 1st Half-Year & Ranked #2 Fight of the Year (vs. Dustin Poirier). * 2018: Ranked #3 Fight of the Year (vs. Yair Rodriguez).
- World Extreme Cagefighting
* Fight of the Night (1 time): for his fight against Leonard Garcia.
- KoreaFC
* Korea FC 65 kg Tournament Winner.
- Pancrase
* Pancrase Korea Neo-Blood Lightweight Tournament Winner.
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
* 2010 Fight of the Year (vs. Leonard Garcia). * 2012 Fight of the Year (vs. Dustin Poirier).
- World MMA Awards
* 2011 Submission of the Year (vs. Leonard Garcia).
- MMAFighting.com
* 2012 Fight of the Year (vs. Dustin Poirier).
* Fight of the Year (2012) (vs. Dustin Poirier).
- Bleacher Report
* Fight of the Year (2012) (vs. Dustin Poirier).
- Sherdog
* 2012 Fight of the Year (vs. Dustin Poirier). * 2011 All-Violence First Team.
Jung's Family Life
Jung Chan-sung is married to Park Sun Young. They have two daughters and one son.
Jung's Appearances in TV and Music
Jung has also appeared in television shows and a music video.
Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flex X Cop | himself | Cameo (episode 1) |
Television shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–2023 | Fighter | Mentor |
Music video appearances
| Year | Song Title | Artist | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | "Lipstick" | Lee Hi (Feat. Yoon Mirae) |
Jung's Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 25 matches | 17 wins | 8 losses |
| By knockout | 6 | 5 |
| By submission | 8 | 0 |
| By decision | 3 | 3 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 17–8 | Max Holloway | KO (punch) | UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie | August 26, 2023 | 3 | 0:23 | Kallang, Singapore | Fight of the Night. Retirement bout. |
| Loss | 17–7 | Alexander Volkanovski | TKO (punches) | UFC 273 | April 9, 2022 | 4 | 0:45 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | For the UFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 17–6 | Dan Ige | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: The Korean Zombie vs. Ige | June 19, 2021 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 16–6 | Brian Ortega | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. The Korean Zombie | October 18, 2020 | 5 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Win | 16–5 | Frankie Edgar | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. The Korean Zombie | December 21, 2019 | 1 | 3:18 | Busan, South Korea | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 15–5 | Renato Moicano | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. The Korean Zombie | June 22, 2019 | 1 | 0:58 | Greenville, South Carolina, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 14–5 | Yair Rodríguez | KO (elbow) | UFC Fight Night: The Korean Zombie vs. Rodríguez | November 10, 2018 | 5 | 4:59 | Denver, Colorado, United States | Fight of the Night. Tied for latest finish in the UFC at 4:59. |
| Win | 14–4 | Dennis Bermudez | KO (punch) | UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs. The Korean Zombie | February 4, 2017 | 1 | 2:49 | Houston, Texas, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 13–4 | José Aldo | TKO (punches) | UFC 163 | August 3, 2013 | 4 | 2:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | For the UFC Featherweight Championship. |
| Win | 13–3 | Dustin Poirier | Technical Submission (D'Arce choke) | UFC on Fuel TV: The Korean Zombie vs. Poirier | May 15, 2012 | 4 | 1:07 | Fairfax, Virginia, United States | Submission of the Night. Fight of the Night. Submission of the Year. |
| Win | 12–3 | Mark Hominick | KO (punches) | UFC 140 | December 10, 2011 | 1 | 0:07 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Knockout of the Night. |
| Win | 11–3 | Leonard Garcia | Submission (twister) | UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs. Davis | March 26, 2011 | 2 | 4:59 | Seattle, Washington, United States | Submission of the Night. |
| Loss | 10–3 | George Roop | KO (head kick) | WEC 51 | September 30, 2010 | 2 | 1:30 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | |
| Loss | 10–2 | Leonard Garcia | Decision (split) | WEC 48 | April 24, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Sacramento, California, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 10–1 | Matt Jaggers | Submission (triangle choke) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 9 | August 2, 2009 | 2 | 1:25 | Saitama, Japan | 2009 Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix Reserve bout. |
| Loss | 9–1 | Masanori Kanehara | Decision (unanimous) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 8 | May 2, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | 2009 Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals. |
| Win | 9–0 | Shintaro Ishiwatari | Submission (rear-naked choke) | World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 7 | March 20, 2009 | 1 | 4:29 | Tokyo, Japan | 2009 Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix 1st round. |
| Win | 8–0 | Fanjin Son | KO (punch) | Deep: 39 Impact | December 10, 2008 | 1 | 0:17 | Okayama, Japan | |
| Win | 7–0 | Michihiro Omigawa | Decision (unanimous) | Deep: Gladiator | August 16, 2008 | 2 | 5:00 | Okayama, Japan | |
| Win | 6–0 | Jung-Hun Cho | Decision (unanimous) | Korea FC | May 31, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Gangwon, South Korea | Won the Korea FC 65 kg Tournament. |
| Win | 5–0 | Dae-Han Choi | Submission (triangle choke) | 1 | 3:38 | Korea FC 65 kg Tournament Semifinal. | |||
| Win | 4–0 | Jung-Beom Choi | Submission (armbar) | 1 | 2:15 | Featherweight debut. Korea FC 65 kg Tournament Quarterfinal. | |||
| Win | 3–0 | Hyung-Geol Lee | TKO (punches) | Pancrase: 2007 Korea Neo-Blood Tournament | December 16, 2007 | 1 | 3:27 | Busan, South Korea | Won the Pancrase Korea Neo-Blood Lightweight Tournament. |
| Win | 2–0 | In-Seok Yoo | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 1 | 2:34 | Pancrase Korea Neo-Blood Lightweight Tournament Semifinal. | |||
| Win | 1–0 | Hyung-Geol Lee | Submission (reverse armbar) | Super Sambo Festival | June 24, 2007 | 2 | 3:07 | Gyeongju, South Korea | Lightweight debut. |
Pay-per-view Fights
Jung was part of two pay-per-view events during his career.
| No | Event | Fight | Date | Venue | City | PPV buys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | UFC 163 | Aldo vs. Korean Zombie | August 3, 2013 | HSBC Arena | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 180,000 |
| 2. | UFC 273 | Volkanovski vs. Korean Zombie | April 9, 2022 | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Not Disclosed |
Awards and Nominations (Outside of MMA)
Jung has also been recognized for his work outside of fighting.
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Dragon Series Awards | 2022 | Best New Male Entertainer | Fighter Club | Nominated |
See also
In Spanish: Jung Chan-sung para niños
- List of male mixed martial artists
