Kang Wins At Spirit MC 18
by Robert Sargent
Rebounding from a pair of disappointing losses, former PRIDE star Denis "Super Korean" Kang made his first Spirit MC Heavyweight Championship title defence in nearly 17 months at Spirit MC 18, where he quickly knocked out Jae Young Kim.
The victory was Kang's third over Kim, with all three fights in Spirit MC. The wins have totalled a meagre 3:47, and it is unlikely that Kim will receive a fourth shot.
Coming into the fight, Kim had racked up six straight victories, while Kang had lost back-to-back fights to Yoshihiro Akiyama and Gegard Mousasi. Kim's status as #1 contender secured his third shot at Kang, but Kang was determined to get back on the winning track and did just that.
Kang scored with jabs and an uppercut early in the fight, but was rocked by an overhand right from Kim. However, Kang kept his composure and scored a takedown to avoid further punches.
Though Kim managed to get back to his feet, Kang threw caution to the wind and engaged in a wild striking battle with Kim, dropping Kim with accurate punches. He followed up with more punches, then finished the job with a stomp to Kim's head.
Denis Kang defeats Jae Young Kim by KO (Punches & Stomp) at 1:31 of round one. He improves to 30-10-1, 2 NC, and remains the Spirit MC Heavyweight Champion.
In other action at Spirit MC 18, Ui Cheol Nam defeated 18-year-old late-replacement Se Young Kim by TKO just 52 seconds into the first round. Kim, who seemed to be petrified after an intense stare down from Nam, offered little resistance in the fight. Nam's original opponent, current Spirit MC Welterweight Champion Kwang Hee Lee, had suffered a hand injury last week and was unable to compete.
The title bout between Nam and Lee has been rescheduled for mid-October.
Jin Suk Jung won an all-out war with Jae Hyun So, in a fight that was easily the best of the night. Both fighters scored damaging blows in the first round, with each emerging for round two with swelling across the face. However, it was a pair of unconventional knee strikes and a left hook that ended the fight at 1:21 of round two, as Jung dropped So for the TKO victory.
Elsewhere on the main card, Hoon Kim defeated Ho Jin Kim by KO (Punch) at 4:27 of round one, while Ye Won Nam destroyed Jeong Hyeon Hwang by KO (Stomps) at 1:27 of the first round.
