If you didn’t get to see the crazy main event between Yair Rodriguez and Chan Sung Jung at UFC Fight Night 139 on Fox last Saturday, don’t sweat it—it’ll be on highlight reels for years to come.
The two featherweights, both known for their striking, wasted no time exchanging heavy blows for all five rounds of their bout. And in the last 10 seconds, Rodriguez (12-2), who was down on the cards, delivered an elbow in a fashion we’ve never seen before. It rocked the jaw of “The Korean Zombie” (14-5), sending him face-first into the canvas, with one second left.
It was brutal. It was explosive. And it’s a definite contender for Fight of the Year.
Fortunately for Rodriguez, who is coming off of a tough loss via TKO in 2017 against Frankie Edgar, this win against the tenth-ranked Sung Jung should set him up for a bigger fight against top featherweight talent. This is good news for the budding contender and the UFC, which is always looking for potential stars that aren’t Conor McGregor. It’s also good for the fans. Amidst all of the WWE-style promos and drama that has taken over the sport in recent years, it’s these types of battles—bloody, gritty, technical displays of heart and perseverance—that remind true MMA junkies why we continue to tune in: to watch damn good fights.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=crwHiCZjUMI
Promo photo: Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images
