MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC on ESPN+ 23.
UFC on ESPN+ 23 takes place Saturday at Sajik Arena in Busan, South Korea. The card streams on ESPN+.
Frankie Edgar (23-7-1 MMA, 17-7-1 UFC)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’6″ Age: 38 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 68″
- Last fight: Decision loss to Max Holloway (July 27, 2019)
- Camp: Nick Catone MMA (New Jersey)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Risk management: Excellent
Supplemental info:
+ Former UFC lightweight champion
+ 4x NCAA Division I All-American wrestler
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 7 knockout victories
+ 4 submission win
+ 6 first-round finishes
+ Consistent pace and pressure
^ High-volume striker
+ Good feints and footwork
+ Solid timing and transitions
+ Effective chain wrestling
+ Excellent grappling ability
^ Positionally aware/scrambles well
+ Active ground striker
Chan Sung Jung (15-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Staple info:
- Height: 5’7″ Age: 32 Weight: 145 lbs. Reach: 72″
- Last fight: TKO win over Renato Moicano(June 22, 2019)
- Camp: Korean Zombie MMA (South Korea)
- Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
- Risk management: Fair
Supplemental info:
+ Kickboxing experience
^ Pro record of 15-6 with 11 KO’s
+ 5 knockouts victories
+ 8 submission wins
+ 9 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Relentless pace and pressure
+ Effective combination striker
^ Often shifts stances on attack
+ Catches kicks and counters well
+ Underrated wrestling ability
+ Superb transitional grappler
^ Works well from front-headlock
– Traditionally takes damage
Point of interest: Enter the zombie
The main event in Busan features a fun, short-notice featherweight fight between two fan favorites.
MMA’s equivalent to “The Little Engine That Could,” Frankie Edgar has made a career in overcoming odds and adversity through a unique combination of well-versed skill and ironclad will – something he will attempt to do once again this Saturday.
Consistently circling outside of range and encouraging his opponents to follow, the 14-year pro will work his way in behind a plethora of punches once finding an angle of approach to his liking.
Typically exiting exchanges at different angles than which he came, Edgar hedges his bets defensively through his level-changing sensibilities, something that helps open up both his combination and takedown attacks. Implementing this arsenal of constant volume, variety, and angles, Edgar often breaks down his opposition the longer a fight goes on.
However, due to the nature of Edgar’s in-and-out approach, he is not beyond being taxed on the way in (something we were all reminded of in his loss to Brian Ortega). And considering the uppercut and countering acumen of his current counterpart, Edgar will need to be extra mindful of changing levels into space.
Enter Chan Sung Jung.
Earning his moniker of “The Korean Zombie,” Jung is a relentless pressure-fighter who embodies the fighting spirit of his nation.
Coming from a kickboxing base, Jung confidently presses through space, almost inviting his opposition in. And once he can corral his target between the cage and inner-black octagon lines, Jung morphs into a non-disseminating offensive marauder, going to work on any piece of flesh that becomes available.
Whether he is slipping and returning slick uppercut-hook variations or unleashing flying knees up the center, Jung offers plenty of offense inside the pocket that his opposition has to respect. That said, if Jung cannot force this fight into his preferred terms, then he may run the risk of following around a more fleet-of-foot striker.
Sure, Edgar may not offer the same knockout intangibles that Yair Rodriguez or George Roop used to make Jung pay, but the former lightweight champ does possess other threats that could produce results against the South Korean.
Next point of interest: Scramble city
Point of interest: Scramble city
Given the potent chaos looming on the feet, it’s hard not to imagine scenarios where Edgar looks to use his wrestling abilities early and often. But with Jung being one of the more savvier scramblers and submission threats at featherweight, takedown attempts could quickly become a flint lighter for starting fires on the floor.
Although he also carries no official rank in a grappling art, Jung is a treacherous transitional threat who can turn the tide of a fight off of just one bad shot.
Predicating most of his offense from the front-headlock position, Jung has a plethora of front-choke threats that he can chain to back-takes, which is ultimately another position where the Korean fighter comes to life from. Considering that Edgar, from his title fights with Benson Henderson to his featherweight affair with Charles Oliveira, has had his head caught in some precarious positions – it’s important to note that’s something he can’t afford here.
However, if Edgar manages to not give his head to the dead, then the former Division I wrestler will likely have a lot to offer Jung in grappling stanzas.
Whether Edgar’s re-wrestling to dump his opponent or leveraging a leg to secure spots, New Jersey’s favorite son is a notable menace when scrambling in small spaces. A superb positional player, Edgar also has an awareness level to submissions that allows him to act as a honey badger inside of world-class opposition’s guards.
Keeping his hands, hips, and head in all the right places, the former lightweight champ can unleash offense with impunity, whether it be punches or can opener-assisted elbows. If Edgar is grappling soberly (as in not rocked from a prior exchange), then expect the scrambles and exchanges to be fun for as long as they last.
Next point of interest: Odds, opinion and prediction
Point of interest: Odds and opinions
The oddsmakers and public seem to be favoring the self-proclaimed zombie, listing Jung -180 and Edgar +158 as of this writing.
Considering that this is a short-notice affair, I can completely understand Edgar coming in as the betting underdog. If this were a full camp, then perhaps it would be a whole lot easier making a case for Edgar to put on a vintage performance against a dangerous foe – fighting smart and mixing things up en route to victory.
Still, as much as I’m a fan of watching Edgar fight, it’s hard to deny that he’s entered the advanced stages of his career.
Now, does that mean he can’t with this fight? Or that he’s no good? Of course not.
However, as a fighter who was amidst making a late-career drop in weight before stepping in on late notice halfway across the world, it’s hard to like Edgar’s chances, particularly against this opponent. As we’ve seen in fights with Ortega and Max Holloway, Edgar’s propensity to dip and change levels seems to be getting picked up on, which, in turn, is opening him up to unkind counters and uppercuts.
I basically think fight going similar to Jung’s battle with Dennis Bermudez, as I see the South Korean sparking off a finish from an uppercut in a somewhat abrupt fashion early.
