Not many people would stand in front of one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world and try to shove their shoulder back into its socket. However, that was what Chan Sung Jung was doing moments before Jose Aldo realized Jung was badly hurt and moved in to finish the fight.
It was a crazy ending to a fight that many had high hopes for but essentially underwhelmed.
Aldo (23-1) was originally scheduled to fight Anthony Pettis in UFC 163’s main event, but a knee injury knocked Pettis from the card. Stepping in to take his place was Jung (13-4), a fighter who had not fought in over a year.
The reason Jung got the call most likely had something to do with his nickname and style of fighting that reflects that nickname, “The Korean Zombie.” Jung has an uncanny ability to take a huge amount of punishment and keep moving forward. We did not see that style in this fight.
Jung seemed to hold back, perhaps a bit worried that a mistake would open him up to the punishing striking that the champion possesses. We didn’t see much of that, either. Aldo also looked like he was holding back, happy to rely on movement and takedowns instead of his trademark devastating leg kicks.
Aldo revealed during the post-fight press conference that he injured his foot on his first kick attempt and that he was headed to the hospital to have it checked out after the press conference.
Aldo landed five of six takedowns and 32 of 87 significant strikes. Jung landed 17 of 117 significant strikes, improving Aldo’s featherweight record striking-defense numbers.
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