By 
Kyung Ho Kang, a seasoned bantamweight fighter, has announced his departure from the UFC after a 12-year tenure.
The 37-year-old South Korean athlete shared the news on social media on January 6, 2025. Throughout his UFC career, Kang achieved an 8-5-1 record, contributing to an overall professional record of 19-11-1.
Kang’s journey with the UFC began in 2012, marking him as one of the pioneering South Korean fighters in the organization. He debuted in 2013 against Alex Caceres in Saitama, Japan, a bout that concluded in a split decision.
Despite a challenging start, Kang secured victories in seven of his subsequent eight fights between January 2014 and December 2019. However, a significant hiatus from September 2014 to January 2018 hindered his momentum, preventing him from breaking into the rankings.
In his final UFC appearances, Kang faced unanimous decision losses to John Castaneda and Muin Gafurov, the latter occurring in June 2024. Notably, throughout his UFC career, Kang was never stopped in a fight, and the only time he experienced consecutive losses was at the end of his tenure.
In other UFC developments, President Dana White has unveiled the lineup for UFC Seattle, scheduled for February 22, 2025.
View this post on Instagram
The event features prominent fighters, including former champions Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz, with a special appearance by Washington native Michael Chiesa.
The current fight card includes:
Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong – Men’s Bantamweight
Rob Font vs. Dominick Cruz – Men’s Bantamweight
Ketlen Vieira vs. Macy Chiasson – Women’s Bantamweight
Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia – Featherweight
Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez – Middleweight
Ion Cutelaba vs. Ibo Aslan – Light Heavyweight
Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev – Heavyweight
Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov – Welterweight
Jean Silva vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan – Featherweight
Modestas Bukauskas vs. Raffael Cerqueira – Light Heavyweight
Muhammad Abdul-Malik vs. Antônio Trócoli – Middleweight
Michael Chiesa vs. TBD
Chidi Njokuani vs. TBD
While opponents for Chiesa and Njokuani are yet to be announced, Chiesa’s inclusion is significant, given his roots in Spokane, Washington. Fans eagerly anticipate his performance in his home state.
As the UFC continues to evolve, the departure of veterans like Kang and the introduction of events such as UFC Seattle highlight the dynamic nature of the organization and its commitment to delivering compelling matchups for fans worldwide.
Comments