UFC: Who is JunYong Park aka 'The Iron Turtle'? Learn all about the South Korean star after UFC Baku's controversial decision

JunYong Park left the collective MMA fanbase impressed with his display of toughness and grit at UFC Baku on June 21. The middleweight contender more than lived up to his nickname of 'The Iron Turtle'. He suffered two eye pokes and an illegal knee to the head in Round 2 against Ismail Naurdiev. Park opted to continue fighting and rallied back to secure a unanimous decision win on the judges' scorecards.

Who is JunYong Park?

JunYong Park was born in Seoul, South Korea, on 27 February 1991. He grew up in the countryside, where he began playing sports at the age of five. According to Park, the environment he grew up in helped shape his toughness, as he once told UFC staff that he used to wrestle boulders.

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His love for nature, as well as for continuously pushing his body to the limit, can still be seen today on the UFC middleweight contender's Instagram page. In 2022, 'The Iron Turtle' uploaded a video of him and a friend wrestling in a rock-filled river.

Check out the footage below:

JunYong Park's nickname is a testament to his heritage, and his fighting style

JunYong Park goes by the nickname 'The Iron Turtle', a monikor comprised of two different parts of the middleweight's early life. As an avid fan of the Ninja Turtles, as well as hailing from South Korea, Park opted to combine his love for Ninja Turles with a reference to his country's first ironclad ship, a Geobukseon warship known as 'The Turtle'.

Having only suffered one knockout defeat in his 25-fight professional career, the 34-year old has certainly done his nickname justice. His recent display against Ismail Naurdie at UFC Baku has further cemented his reputation as being an extremely tough opponent.

Park trains out of Korean Top Team in the country's capital city of Seoul, and made his professional debut in 2013. He suffered a defeat in his first fight before returning over a year later to secure his first victory in his second profesional bout.

'The Iron Turtle' made his UFC debut in 2019 against surging contender Anthony Hernandez. The South Korean suffered a submission lost, but has since accumulated a promotional record of 9-2.

About the author

Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda's guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

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Edited by Liam Fresen