Can Chan Sung Jung bounce back from bad statistical performance vs. Brian Ortega?
The last time Chan Sung Jung stepped into the octagon to compete in something other than a main event bout was December 2011. Jung faced Mark Hominick that night. He knocked out the Canadian fighter in seven seconds. Jung has fought in seven UFC main events since UFC 140. The only fight that went the distance was his loss to Brian Ortega in October. On Saturday, Jung faces Dan Ige in the main event of UFC Vegas 29. Ige enters the bout coming off a 22-second knockout win over Gavin Tucker in March of this year.
Jung’s decision loss to Ortega was one of the worst statistical performances of his career. The No. 4 ranked UFC featherweight lands an average of 4.15 significant strikes per minute. The Ortega scrap brought that number down. Jung landed at a rate of 2.48 significant strikes per minute in that contest. Ortega’s landing rate was a very high 5.08 per minute. Jung’s career average of strikes absorbed per minute is 4.01 heading into the Ige matchup.
Jung’s stats from the Ortega scrap are concerning heading into his bout against the No. 8 ranked Ige. The 34-year-old, who is nicknamed “The Korean Zombie” for his willingness to move forward no matter the physical cost, needs a win over Ige if he plans to keep his spot in the rankings. The question entering this fight is if Jung has hit the point in his career where he begins a downward slide. Jung’s matchup opposite Ige will go a long way toward answering that question.
UFC Vegas 29 takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. ESPN2 broadcasts the entire fight card, which also streams on ESPN+.
Here is a look at how Jung and Ige matchup in key stats ahead of UFC Vegas 29.