"Even gave up our honeymoon": Ko Suk-hyun, "My motivation is exceptional, my mental state is at its peak..." Passes UFC weigh-in

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

'Technical' Ko Suk-hyun (33), who returns to the Octagon for a bout four months after his bitter first defeat, has completed his preparations by passing the weigh-in flawlessly.

According to the UFC, Ko Suk-hyun passed the official weigh-in for "UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs. Walker," held on the 7th (Korean time) at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, weighing in at 77.6 kg, which met the welterweight (77.1 kg) limit weight (allowing a one-pound scale error).

His opponent, 'Prodigy' Wellington Turman (30, Brazil), also recorded 77.6 kg, and both fighters completed the weigh-in easily.

The two fighters, standing face to face on the weigh-in stage, first exchanged a light handshake. As Turman clenched his fists in a fighting pose, Ko Suk-hyun stared intently at his opponent with his arms relaxed at his sides, engaging in a psychological battle. After completing the face-off, they shook hands once more, vowing to give their best performance.

Ko Suk-hyun, who entered the Octagon after going through Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS), was on a two-fight winning streak in the UFC before suffering his first defeat by unanimous decision against Jean-Paul Levesque last July.

However, he did not dwell on the pain of defeat. Ko Suk-hyun immediately began training right after returning to Korea and accepted the fight offer.

In particular, although he is a newlywed who tied the knot last August, he devoted himself entirely to his training camp, giving up even a sweet honeymoon amid his wife's full support and consideration. His new nickname, 'Technical,' was also a gift given directly by his wife. Ko Suk-hyun conveyed his exceptional resolve, stating, "Being newlyweds means my motivation is at its highest level ever, and I am mentally prepared more firmly than before," adding, "My current condition is very good. Through training, I have completely overcome my shortcomings."

He also previewed tactical changes. Reflecting on his previous defeat, Ko Suk-hyun said, "I was too obsessed with KO-ing my opponent in striking exchanges, which narrowed my perspective," and stated, "This time, I will conduct the fight in the original style of mixed martial arts (MMA), organically mixing striking and grappling. As I mix them, opportunities will naturally arise, and ultimately, I will be able to finish it with a KO."

His opponent Turman is a veteran with an overall MMA record of 18 wins and 8 losses, and a record of 3 wins and 6 losses in the UFC alone. He trains under the same roof as former UFC champion Alex Pereira and receives guidance from Glover Teixeira. Ko Suk-hyun calculates that he will not be outmatched in grappling either, given his judo base and status as a 2017 Combat Sambo World Champion. Ko Suk-hyun expressed confidence in victory, saying, "Turman is good at everything and skilled in surprise submissions, but I am also confident that I can finish with a submission. I am ahead in every area."

Waldo Cortes Acosta (Dominican Republic), a heavyweight (120.2 kg) ranked fighter, and Johnny Walker (Brazil), who are set to compete in the main event of this card, also passed the weigh-in side by side. In this match, which was hastily arranged eight days before the fight after the original main event was canceled due to Sean Brady's injury, Cortes Acosta weighed in at 118.8 kg, while Walker, who is moving up from the light heavyweight division to the heavyweight class aiming for a two-fight winning streak, recorded 108.4 kg.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original