Today, the UFC will conclude their recent world tour when they bring the Octagon to South Korea for the first time in the company’s history. UFC Fight Night 79 in Seoul will be the fifth consecutive event the company has held outside the United States; the most consecutive international events this year and the second most in the company’s history. The UFC South Korea event, as well as the recent string of international events, shows the true global presence the company is developed into.
Going Global
UFC FN 79 will be the third card the UFC has held in Asia this year (Pasay City, Philippines for UFC FN 66 and Saitama, Japan for UFC FN 75 were the other two), which represents the Asian market as a potential area of growth for the UFC. Kenneth Berger, the Executive Vice President and General Manager of UFC Asia, said, “The UFC in Asia is growing at an impressive pace and this event in Seoul will mark our second new market this year. South Korea has some of Asia’s best MMA athletes and this event is fully expected to illustrate just how powerful and technical these fighters have become. As usual we will bring a truly international fight card to the region, giving our loyal fans and those new to the sport a thrilling night to remember.”
The Event
While the UFC has to be excited about entering a new market, their first South Korean event was not without some last minute controversy. In the weeks leading up to the event, former 2006 Pride Open-Weight Grand Prix champion and 2012 K-1 World Grand Prix champion, Mirko Filipović, (who was scheduled to fight in the main event against Anthony Hamilton) unexpectedly announced his retirement, citing a shoulder injury amongst other mounting and reoccurring injuries. Not long after Filipović announced his retirement, both the UFC and the United Sates Anti-Doping Agency confirmed that Filipović had failed a drug test for an unspecified banned substance. Filipović later confirmed this, and elaborated that a doctor had injected him with a small amount of human growth hormone and plasma to help with his shoulder injury, and also said that he used HGH because he was so desperate to make the fight.
Following the announcement of Filipović’s failed drug test, the UFC scrapped their original main event, and promoted the semi-main event bout between former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson and Jorge Masvidal to the main event slot. Perennial welterweight contender and South Korean superstar Dong Hyun Kim will take on Dominic Waters in a bout that will now serve as the semi-main event, rounding out what looks to be a fantastic card for the UFC’s South Korean debut.
The UFC’s first foray into South Korea marks a very exciting time in the company’s continual international development. The UFC has long wanted to break into the South Korean market, and their first event is truly a major cultural breakthrough.
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