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UFC’s Kim Dong-hyun predicts short fight

February 27, 2014

Kim Dong-hyun, top, will face John Hathaway of England on Saturday at UFC Fight Night in Macau. The fight will be aired on Super Action at 9 p.m.
(Courtesy of Super Action)

By Jung Min-ho

Coming off his most impressive knockout victory in October, Kim Dong-hyun, 32, will take on John Hathaway, 26, of England, Saturday in hopes of taking another step toward the welterweight top 10 at UFC Fight Night in Macau.

Many fans expect the bout will be an intense ground battle since the two fighters are known for their wrestling skills rather than killer punches and kicks. However, fighting against Hathaway, who has never been knocked out in his eight-year professional career, Kim is determined to finish him quickly.

“It will be finished in two rounds. No worries,” Kim said at a press conference on Feb. 19.

Kim’s comment wouldn’t be taken seriously if he wasn’t the first fighter to stop Erick Silva of Brazil with strikes in his latest fight.

Nonetheless, knocking out Hathaway, who has amassed a MMA record of 17 wins and just one loss, won’t be easy. But certainly, Kim appears to have a better chance to win over the former rugby player.

Kim, ranked 11th, can always change his strategy to wrestling in which he has an edge over most fighters in the division. Hathaway’s wrestling is decent but he has not faced a level of grappler like Kim.

During his 10-year career, Kim has not been outwrestled by anyone. Also in the upcoming bout, Kim will likely have little trouble winning the takedown battle if he wants to take the fight to the ground.

Kim keeps a more stable base once he secures the top position.

The location close to Korea and the fact that Hathaway has not fought for nearly one and a half years are also advantageous to Kim.

“Conditioning isn’t a problem for a fight in Asia,” Kim said. “I can really feel it when I enter into the octagon. It feels like a sparring session.”

For Hathaway, this has been the longest break from competition he has ever had. Even though he will give himself enough time to adjust to the new time zone, fighting on the other side of the planet will give him a harsh test.

It bears watching whether Kim will be able to knock out Hathaway. But if he displays his standard performance, Kim will likely edge him out after five rounds.

Nam Yui-chul, left, will make his UFC debut in a bout against Kazuki Tokudome of Japan. (Courtesy of Super Action)

Nam Yui-chul to make UFC debut

Nam Yui-chul, 32, will make his UFC debut in a bout against Kazuki Tokudome, 26, of Japan, on the same day.

Nam, the former Road FC lightweight champion (17-4), is well-known for his explosiveness in striking. His style to push his opponents with aggressiveness has given him the nickname, “The Korean Bulldozer.”

Fighting against the fluid but less powerful striker (12-4-1), Nam will try hard to keep the fight on feet and finish it as soon as possible.

Tokudome’s recent performances indicate that he will likely take the fight to the ground where he has a significant advantage. But it will be difficult until Nam gets tired in later rounds.

If Nam fails to do enough damage to his opponent in the first round, however, the result will be hard to predict.

At a press conference on Feb. 19, Nam showed confidence, saying Tokudome “is a good opponent” for his UFC debut.

“I don’t think he is an impact fighter that has powerful striking ability. But I don’t think he is weak, either … I want a striking battle, and that’s what I’m going to try in Macau.”