Former top-ranked featherweight Kim Jae Woong ready to make comeback after loss to Tang Kai

South Korean MMA star Kim Jae Woong put together a string of impressive wins and was the top-ranked featherweight contender before being stopped by China's Tang Kai. Tang will now challenge for the ONE featherweight title at ONE 160 while Kim is left to pick up the pieces.

On Instagram, 'The Fighting God' shared his thoughts on the loss and said he is ready for a fight:

"It is necessary sometimes to take one step backward to take two steps forward. I’M READY 🔥 August or September, I’m coming for anybody who will be put in front of me."

The South Korean already has some impressive performances in the division, including TKO victories over Tetsuya Yamada, Rafael Nunes, and former world champion Martin Nguyen.

Kim may want to consider pairing himself up against a fighter who is also coming off a loss. In the featherweight division, he has options such as James Yang, Ma Jia Wen, and Garry Tonon, among others. However, Nguyen has requested a rematch.

Tang Kai was able to stop the streaking Kim Jae Woong earlier this year to capture the top contender position. Tang won the fight with an impressive round-one knockout. This extended his win streak to nine overall with most of the victories coming by way of TKO stoppage.

At ONE 160 on August 26, Tang Kai will challenge the reigning titleholder, Vietnamese-American knockout artist, Thanh Le, for the ONE featherweight championship.

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Kim Jae Woong vs. Martin Nguyen 2?

Former ONE featherweight champion Martin ‘The Situ-Asian’ Nguyen is coming off a TKO victory over Kirill Gorobets and has asked for a rematch against 'The Fighting God'. The two fought in late 2021 with the South Korean fighter taking a first-round stoppage win over the Australian star.

In an interview with ONE Championship, 'The Situ-Asian' explained:

“For me, what makes sense for the division is fighting the next guy in line, which will be that rematch against Kim Jae Woong since he hasn’t got an opponent. Or if someone who’s out of the top five, I’ll jump in now, obviously. I’ll put my hand up for that.”

Both of these fighters are currently ranked in the top three in the division. A win could propel either towards another shot at the world title against the ONE 160 main event winner. However, a loss would be detrimental.

Win or lose, the next match for Kim will be an entertaining one. He is looking to get back in the circle later this year.