Eight months after his bout with Jose Aldo at UFC 163, it looks like Chan Sung Jung — a.k.a. “The Korean Zombie” — is finally zeroing in on his return to the Octagon.
As UFC Tonight’s Ariel Helwani reported on Wednesday night, Jung’s manager Brian Rhee has informed him that the popular featherweight has fully recovered from a fractured orbital bone that he sustained in that title fight last summer, and is eying a return in either August or September. Rhee said that Jung is also “90 percent” recovered from the dislocated shoulder he suffered in that fight, as well, and should be able to begin training again soon.
As for who The Korean Zombie would like to face upon his return, Rhee said Jung was interested in fighting former No. 1 contender Ricardo Lamas, who lost to Aldo via unanimous decision at UFC 169 in February.
Lamas, however, said that he would prefer not to wait that long to compete again, as he wants to sneak in another fight before the UFC’s inaugural visit to Mexico City in November at UFC 180 — a card that he very much wants to be on. In the meantime, the Chicago-based fighter said he would like to face either Dustin Poirier or Dennis Bermudez next.
The 25-year old Poirier is coming off an impressive victory over Akira Corassani at the TUF Nations finale in Quebec City, which earned Fight of the Night honors. Bermudez has reeled off six wins in a row, the latest coming at UFC 171 in March against Jimy Hettes (which he won via third-round TKO).
Helwani reported that the UFC told Lamas “no” on those fights, so Lamas is still waiting to find out who he will face next.
Meanwhile, Bermudez said that should the UFC like the idea of booking him against “The Korean Zombie” for late summer, he would be open to it.