UFC Vegas 29 Results: Korean Zombie Defeats Dan Ige by Decision in Main Event
June 20, 2021
"The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung utilized a well-rounded strategy to get the better of Dan Ige by unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 29 from the UFC's APEX Facility on Saturday.
The matchup looked like a fun fight on paper, and it didn't disappoint in the early going. Ige got off to a strong start and stung Jung early in the first round, but Jung came back to score a takedown that earned him some points as well.
ESPN's Brett Okamoto observed:
Jung came out in the second and scored early with a clubbing right hand that took Ige off his feet:
That set the tone for the round as Jung went to work in the striking, dictating the range and landing with more regularity. In the third, he went back to his grappling, where he spent the majority of the round forcing Ige to fend off submissions.
Ige showed signs of life in the fourth round. After a spirited talk from his corner, he was able to keep the fight standing and fought with newfound energy. Jung still had his moments in the round, but it was a tight one to score, setting up an interesting fifth round.
Sean Sheehan of Severe MMA Podcast tweeted the following:
The 29-year-old Ige almost made it even more interesting in the fifth round. He started off carrying the momentum and was hitting Jung in the striking before inexplicably taking things to the ground where Jung once again held the advantage:
The result gets The Korean Zombie back in the win column after losing his last fight to Brian Ortega. With wins in three of his last four and a top-four featherweight ranking already, it wouldn't be shocking to see him back in the title picture sooner rather than later.
Here's a look at all the results from Saturday night and a closer look at the main card bouts:
Main Card
- Chan Sung Jung def. Dan Ige via unanimous decision (49-46 49-46, 48-47)
- Serghei Spivac def. Aleksei Oleinik via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Marlon Vera def. Davey Grant via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-28)
- Seung Woo Choi def. Julian Erosa via TKO at 1:37 of Round 1
- Bruno Silva def. Wellington Turman via KO at 4:45 of Round 1
- Matt Brown def. Dhiego Lima via KO at 3:02 of Round 2
Prelims
- Nicolae Negumereanu def. Aleksa Camur via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Virna Jandiroba def. Kanako Murata via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at 5:00 of Round 2
- Khaos Williams def. Matthew Semelsberger via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Josh Parisian def. Roque Martinez via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Ricky Glenn def. Joaquim Silva via KO at 0:37 of Round 1
- Casey O’Neill def. Lara Fritzen Procopio via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:54 of Round 3
Serghei Spivac def. Aleksei Oleinik
Fighting Aleksei Oleinik is never fun, but rising heavyweight prospect Serghei Spivac passed the test with a unanimous-decision win over the veteran in the co-main event.
Oleinik—who was fighting in his 76th professional bout—has 46 submission wins to his name. Still, the Polar Bear was willing to roll with him and attempted some chokes of his own.
He wasn't able to lock any of them in, but his ability to get the better of some of the grappling exchanges speaks to the 26-year-old's talent.
Ultimately, Spivac took two of the three rounds on the scorecards while getting out of some disadvantageous positions with a dangerous grappler.
It was a good, not great, win against a fighter who can be a tricky out for an up-and-comer. One also now has to wonder how many more fights the 43-year-old Oleinik will get with the UFC.
Marlon Vera def. Davey Grant
More than five years ago, Davey Grant pulled off an upset win over Marlon Vera that probably kept him from getting cut, as it was sandwiched between two losses. This time, Vera left little doubt as to who was the better fighter.
Grant got off to a strong start in the first round. His boxing led to some scoring opportunities, and the two looked destined for another back-and-forth affair.
Once it got into the second, Vera settled into a rhythm and dished out more damage than he was taking. The lopsided scores on the card were courtesy of a dominant third round for the Ecuadorian. Chito nearly finished the fight by submission twice as Grant showcased his toughness in merely surviving the round:
The result puts Vera back in the win column after losing to Jose Aldo his last time out. His toughness and striking skills make it difficult for him to lose too many in a row, and he'll look to continue the momentum and earn another big fight like the one he had versus Aldo.
Grant, meanwhile, sees a three-fight win streak come to a halt.
Seung Woo Choi def. Julian Erosa
The finishes just kept coming in Vegas as Seung Woo Choi wasted little time in dispatching Julian Erosa in featherweight action.
Choi was aggressive early, and it paid off in a big way. He blitzed with a lead right hand followed by a tight left hook, which turned out to be the beginning of the end:
Choi is now on a three-fight win streak inside the Octagon, but this was by far his most exciting performance. He hadn't previously registered a finish in four UFC fights. After starting his UFC run with two losses and two decision wins, he continues to develop his confidence.
The loss brings back some concern for Erosa. He was previously cut by the promotion after losing his first three fights, including two via knockout. He had overcome that by getting enough wins to get another shot and winning back-to-back bouts in the promotion.
Now, it's back to the drawing board.
Bruno Silva def. Wellington Turman
Bruno Silva was able to earn a first-round knockout in the final moments of the opening round.
Even in guard, Silva's heavy hands were on display as he battered Wellington Turman with devastating hooks on the ground:
Turman had his moments early, as he was able to take Silva's back and appeared to be working his game plan. However, when Silva was able to get to an advantageous position of his own, he was fighting to finish.
This was the 31-year-old's first fight since 2018 while he served a suspension for a USADA violation. Assuming that will no longer be an issue, he could be a dangerous contender in the middleweight division.
Matt Brown def. Dhiego Lima
Don't count out Matt Brown just yet. At 40 and coming off back-to-back losses, the Ohio native turned off Dhiego Lima's lights in the second round.
The veteran, who was in his 41st professional fight, uncorked a picturesque right hand that landed flush and had Lima instantly slumping forward:
Brown will likely never reach the peak of being a champion in the UFC, and he's rarely even been in the main event picture. But the knockout tied him with Vitor Belfort and Derrick Lewis for most knockouts in the promotion's history.
That's a testament to Brown's longevity and willingness to fight with reckless abandon to put on a show. As for Lima, he's now lost back-to-back fights, and this one will hurt his stock moving forward.