Following his retirement, South Korean UFC fighter Chan Sung Jung, known as Zombie, received a custom belt honoring his UFC and WEC career, having made a significant impact despite two initial losses, and later challenging for the UFC title twice.
The legacy of “The Korean Zombie”, also known as Chan Sung Jung, will remain indelible in the history of professional fighting even after his recent retirement. Following his retirement bout against Max Holloway in August, the South Korean fighter was profoundly celebrated by both his contemporaries as well as his fans. This week, his illustrious UFC and WEC career was commemorated through a custom championship belt.
The unique belt was revealed through Instagram stories, made notable by Bloody Elbow, and showcases a remarkable tribute to the Korean Zombie’s career. It features a UFC plate grounded on one side and a WEC plate on the other, underscoring his achievements in the top two American promotions where he made a name for himself. The source or maker of the thoughtful gift remains unclear, but the clip shared on the platform had a tag directed towards a private Instagram account.
Chan Sung Jung made his debut in WEC in 2010 and quickly rose to fame following a monumental fight against Leonard Garcia. Despite his initial losses, including a knockout by George Roop, his fame wasn’t significantly bruised. When he transitioned to UFC, he ascended significantly by winning a replay match against Garcia with the first-ever twister in the history of the company. He solidified his reputation by knocking out one-time title challenger Mark Hominick in just seven seconds, triumphing over Dustin Poirier in yet another “Fight of the Year” contender, and going head to head for the UFC title on two occasions. His retirement announcement came in the wake of a third-round knockout loss to Holloway at UFC Singapore – a fight after which Holloway notably shared his gloves with Zombie.