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'Korean Zombie' Opens Up In Emotional Interview About DMs Shared With Dustin Poirier After MMA Retirement

Originally posted on MMA News | Last updated 9/1/23

Chan Sung Jung believes his actual fighting skills are sharper than ever, however the realization that his legendary chin was finally starting to crack is what ultimately convinced him to hang up his gloves.

“The Korean Zombie” met former featherweight titleholder Max Holloway in the main event of last weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Singapore. There was some speculation ahead of the bout that Jung might be considering retirement, and the South Korean ended up treating fans to one last display of incredible toughness before he was floored by Holloway in the third round.

Jung left his gloves in the cage after the loss, and on his YouTube channel the 36-year-old recently provided a bit more insight into why he decided to retire after being stopped by Holloway.

"At that moment when Max was helping me up, that is when I clearly realized that it was time for me to go,” Jung said. “As far as MMA technique goes, I don’t think I have a problem. I believe my physical abilities are better than ever. But when I look back at the fight, the punches I took aren’t supposed to knock me down or wobble me. But I got wobbled during the first, knocked down during the second, and was hit with precision in the third.”

The Korean Zombie Details Post-Retirement Conversation With Dustin Poirier

“The Korean Zombie” earned his nickname by being one of the most durable fighters in the history of MMA, and apparently a recent conversation with former opponent Dustin Poirier provided a chance for Jung to reflect on the fact that he can’t take a shot like he used to.

“So having these thoughts mid-fight, I thought ‘My chin isn’t there anymore. My durability isn’t there anymore.’ I actually talked to Dustin the other day, I felt that my chin is not the same with the 23-year-old me when I fought Dustin in the past. Being constantly wobbled and knocked down – I mean, even with top-notch technique it’s impossible to not get hit at all in MMA. That’s when I decided it was for me to go.”

Jung’s matchup with Poirier in 2012 was the first of what ended up being ten-straight main event bouts in the UFC for the South Korean, and after the two men put on a Fight of the Night performance it was “The Korean Zombie” who got the win via fourth-round D’arce choke.

The South Korean’s massive popularity made his retirement in Singapore one of the more emotional moments on a UFC broadcast in recent memory, but it also ended up being one of the most incredible exits in the sport's history thanks to the tremendous ovation he received from the crowd.

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