UFC fighters from east: Can they really become worthy contenders?
UFC is a mixed-martial-arts fighting sport and when people think of martial arts, we naturally think of Asian nations like Japan, Korea, and China. Karate, Judo, and Tae Kwon Do are just some of the martial arts popularized by icons like Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan in western culture even before UFC became mainstream.
The west had embraced the fighting arts of the east. The United States, in particular, has so embedded it in their culture that they also gave it their own touch. Apparently, Asian countries tend to hold on and preserve the art and tradition aspect of martial arts. Their western counterpart, on the other hand, made it into an exciting and popular sport and UFC is perhaps the most popular martial arts sport to ever have existed.
Although UFC was founded first, it was the fighting organization from Japan called Pride Fighting Championships that arguably brought the sport into public consciousness. Pride was enormously popular in Japan and it was later populated by fighters from the United States and Europe. In Pride’s heyday, the UFC was still struggling to establish a hold on the market like some submission fighter on a sweaty last round. In the end, UFC did take over as it became regarded as the foremost battleground of MMA fighters all around the world.
Considering the roots of martial arts, why do you only see a handful of Asian fighters inside the octagon? It has been said that the best stand-up fighters—in terms of Muay Thai—are from Thailand, but are there any Thai fighters in the UFC? Yes, there are some Japanese and Korean fighters, but why are they appearing so sporadically?
The reason for this is that the UFC is still unsure of their marketability. Bringing Asian fighters into the UFC scene is still in the experimental stages to say the least. Ultimately, it will all come down to their performance inside the octagon. Hype and marketing aside, it will be winning or losing that will dictate the inflow of Asian fighters to the UFC.
These are just some of the fighters from the Far East that currently fight in the UFC. For their sakes and other Asian fighters like them, they have to win fights in order to stay relevant in the organization.
Yushin "Thunder" Okami
A strong southpaw middleweight with good wrestling and stand-up, he has notable wins over Tanner, Muñoz, and Anderson Silva. His strength, size, and composure make him a difficult opponent whether standing up or on the ground. He almost had his title shot but Rich Franklin beat him for the number one contender status.
Takanori "The Fireball Kid" Gomi
Gomi is a highly regarded fighter in Japan. He is arguably the best lightweight in Pride back then. However, his debut in the UFC was a major disappointment for him and his fans. He suffered a bad loss from a very good UFC lightweight, Kenny Florian.
All of the disappointments were then erased after he knocked out a solid fighter in Tyson Griffin. Griffin was never knocked out and a very difficult fighter to defeat decisively. Things are now looking up for the Japanese fighter. Maybe, he is just warming up.
Dong Hyun Kim
Still without a loss, Dong Hyun Kim is on a roll and if he continues his winning ways, he won’t be far from title contention. He is strong and explosive but he can also be technical if he prefers to. The Korean can break opponents down in a variety of ways with strong wrestling, Judo, and solid stand-up. Although still untested against elite-level fighters, Kim is still a fighter worth keeping tabs on.
Yoshihiro Akiyama
Akiyama is a newly acquired fighter of the UFC with only two fights to date. He debuted in the octagon against Alan Belcher and showed the American fans why he is a fighter they should watch. Akiyama is a tough fighter with a hard chin. He goes all-out in his fights and is willing to take one just to give one of his own. However, his poor stamina cost him the fight against fellow tough guy, Chris Leben. A bit of cardio work, he will surely climb the ranks of the middleweight division.
Chan Sung "The Korean Zombie" Jung
Chan Sung Jung is not fighting under the UFC but he surely took the MMA world by storm because of his fighting style and courage. Aptly called the Korean Zombie, Jung can take a lot of punishment and attack relentlessly. His sensational fight against Leonard Garcia under WEC is considered by fans as one of the most epic matches to ever happen on US soil. If he ever gets absorbed by the UFC, “The Korean Zombie” will surely bring a lot of excitement even without any title at stake.
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