'Dream Stage Challenge': Park Bo-hyun vs. RTU Finals Match Against Mengbo... 'Historic 4th Korean Female Fighter to Enter UFC' — 'Precise Aim'

*This content was translated by AI.

The ROAD TO UFC (RTU) Season 5 finals matchup has been finalized, with a ticket to the UFC on the line. South Korea's Park Bo-hyun (27) will face China's veteran Mengbo (30) in a showdown for entry into the octagon.

On the 28th last year, UFC held 'ROAD TO UFC Season 5 Semifinals: Mahshater vs. Flowers' at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China, confirming eight finalists across four weight classes. The finalists of this RTU, which serves as a gateway for promising fighters from Asia and the Pacific region, will compete in the final showdowns at upcoming UFC Fight Night events.

In the women's strawweight division (52.2 kg), Park Bo-hyun secured her spot in the finals first. In the semifinal opening match, Park faced Kyrgyzstan's Parida Abdueva (22), inflicting a cut on her forehead with sharp elbows and knocking her down with a left hook, among other dominant striking exchanges. She ultimately won by unanimous 3-0 decision. Despite being considered the underdog with odds of around 20% on overseas betting sites, Park overturned expectations and advanced to the finals.

Park Bo-hyun's opponent in the finals is China's formidable fighter Mengbo. Mengbo is a seasoned veteran who defeated former UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili in her mixed martial arts debut in 2013. In this semifinal, she engaged in an intense grappling battle with Japan's Machi Fukuda (23) and secured a 2-1 decision victory to reach the finals.

After Mengbo's victory was confirmed, the two fighters met face-to-face on the cage, clenching fists, embracing, and pressing foreheads together in a tense face-off. They exchanged warnings of "be careful" to each other, foreshadowing an intense final showdown.

If Park Bo-hyun wins this finals match, she will become the fourth Korean female UFC fighter in history, following Ham Seo-hee, Kim Ji-yeon, and Jeon Chan-mi, after nearly a decade. She will also be the 26th South Korean UFC fighter since Yoo Ju-sang, marking a return after about two years. Additionally, she will become the sixth Korean RTU champion overall, following Season 1's Park Hyun-seong and Lee Jung-young, Season 2's Lee Chang-ho, and Season 3's Choi Dong-hoon and Yoo Soo-young, as well as the first female winner in RTU history.

Kevin Zhang, UFC Executive Vice President and Head of Asia, stated, "RTU was launched as a platform for Asia's top mixed martial arts prospects to prove their skills and secure UFC contracts." He added, "We are looking forward to four new fighters joining the UFC through the finals."

To date, a total of 22 fighters have advanced from the RTU stage to enter the octagon. Since moving to the main UFC stage, they have collectively earned 12 'Performance of the Night' bonuses, consistently demonstrating the competitiveness of Asia-Pacific fighters.

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*This content was translated by AI.