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What's the story?
The main event at UFC Fight Night 139 between "El Pantera", Yair Rodriguez and "Korean Zombie", Chan Sung Jung, may very well go down in the history books as one of the greatest featherweight division fights in UFC history.
After scoring an unexpectedly blistering knockout in the final moments of the fifth round, Yair Rodriguez was deemed the winner of the fight. The "Korean Zombie" then showed no hesitation in uploading a picture on his Instagram of himself and Yair, crossing paths in the hospital that they were transferred to, post the fight.
In case you didn't know..
Both Yair Rodriguez and Chan Sung Jung were coming into this fight after what was considered a long layoff from the sport. Yair suffered his last loss against Frankie Edgar in May 2017 at UFC 211, while the "Korean Zombie" was making a comeback after his loss to Dennis Bermudez in early 2017.
Yair is recognized for his speed and creativity in the Octagon, while Jung is known for his incredible push-forward style that goes hand in hand with his array of combinations.
The fight between Yair and Jung took place at the Pepsi Center in Denver, for the UFC Fight Night 139 event. UFC recognized this bout as the 'Fight of the Night', and rightly so, considering the fact that both fighters were immediately transferred to the hospital, post the brawl. Before being released from the hospital, Yair and Jung chanced upon each other in the emergency room and clicked a photo, showcasing their level of sportsmanship, given the unforgiving nature of the sport.
The heart of the matter
As the fight commenced, Yair used his speed by chopping on to the lead leg of Jung with some very viciously well-timed leg-kicks. Both fighters used their jab effectively and backed this up with combinations of their own. While Jung always looked for strikes in the pocket, Yair found success in operating from a distance. Yair was also able to stub the takedowns during the initial rounds of the fight, making it hard for Jung to take him to the ground.
During the third and fourth rounds, "Zombie" started to land significant strikes on Yair, that busted the latter's nose up. Jung also managed to land a big right hand on Yair, followed by a knee, stunning him in the process. To most critics, it looked as though Jung was winning the fight up until the last and final round. With just a mere second left in the fifth and final round, "Zombie" was caught flush with a no-look elbow that ultimately sealed not just the win for Yair, but also, a certain "Knockout of the Year" title.
What's next?
UFC Fight Night 139 was witness to an action-packed main event fight, that ended with both fighters embracing each other and blessing the sport of mixed martial arts with their fighting spirit, both inside and outside the cage.
The "Korean Zombie" said that he was 'embarrassed' after his knockout, but bears no excuse for losing the fight. Yair, however, recently released a statement by expressing his gratitude and respect for Jung, as well as the people of Korea.
What do you think is next for both Yair and Jung? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
