“I Am Not a Part of the UFC Anymore”: After More Than 2 Decades in the World Biggest MMA Promotion, ‘The Korean Zombie’ Opens Up on How the Retirement Affected Him

The MMA world is grappling with the sad tale of a retirement. Chan Sung Jung, better known as ‘The Korean Zombie’ recently announced his retirement from the UFC. His last fight against Max Holloway ended in a loss by TKO. However, the fighter’s legacy still stands tall. His entertaining performances are something that fans will miss following his decision to leave fighting behind.

While he would have liked to end the career on a victory, Holloway stood as a formidable barrier. After the bout at UFC Fight Night, the teary-eyed featherweight hung up his gloves and rendered an emotional farewell announcement. The announcement seemed inevitable but didn’t prevent the MMA world from feeling despair. In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sung Jung opened up about his emotions post-retirement and the effect it had on him.

The Korean Zombie speaks on leaving the Octagon behind

With disbelief in his voice, the Featherweight talked about how the final fight with ‘Blessed’ felt very distant. He said, “It’s crazy that the fight almost seems like it was three months ago. It’s Tuesday, so it was three days ago.” ‘The Korean Zombie’ talked about the absurdity of becoming a “former UFC fighter”. Sung Jung continued, “Introducing myself as a former UFC fighter feels a little funny. I’ve always introduced myself as a UFC fighter.”

He brought up the UFC Roster Watch, a popular account on X that keeps tabs on the UFC’s fight roster. Their recent update that mentioned the ‘Zombie’s retirement didn’t go unnoticed by him. He said, “Now my retirement feels more real. That I am not part of the UFC anymore. Earlier today I saw my name tweeted by UFC Roster Watch.” Speaking on how the development made him feel, he continued, “In the morning, I looked at the tweet and I was like, the fact that ‘I’m not a UFC fighter anymore’ struck me hard.”

A ‘Grateful’ Sung Jung on his last UFC fight

‘The Korean Zombie’ also took the moment to recognize the impact the fight created. Giving us a glimpse of his new retired life he said, “I’ve been on my phone for the last three days. It feels like everyone in Korea watched my last fight.” Speaking further on the feeling, Sung Jung elaborated, “A lot of people did actually watch the fight. So I feel grateful about that.”

Read More: “It’s Been an Honor…”: Dustin Poirier Sends Out a Heartwarming Message to ‘The Korean Zombie’ After He Leaked Their Private Instagram Conversation

Having established his gratitude for the love and support he received, the former Featherweight recollected his time in the Octagon. Before moving on to other topics the ‘Zombie’ also mentioned, “So many different thoughts are crossing my mind right now.” Fans all over Korea and the rest of the world will miss his performances inside the Octagon. His undeniable presence and style of combat are something that the UFC will miss.

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