"Korean killer? I'll erase that name."
'Korean Superboy' Choi Doo-ho is coming back. The time that was paused due to a knee injury is over. And he faces a strong opponent in his return fight. The opponent is Daniel Santos, who has recently built a notorious reputation by beating Korean fighters in succession.
UFC Hall of Famer (HOF) inductee Choi Doo-ho will face Brazil's Daniel Santos in the co-main event of 'UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa' to be held on the 17th (Korea time) at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
It is a comeback after a full 1 year and 5 months.
Choi Doo-ho is currently in his 13th year with the UFC. He has risen to become one of the longest-serving Korean UFC fighters. The sense of responsibility he brings to this fight is also special.
There is a reason. Santos has recently defeated Korean fighters in succession. He beat 'Korean Tiger' Lee Jeong-young and 'Zombie Junior' Yoo Joo-sang in turn, and among domestic fans he even earned the nickname 'Korean killer.'
In particular, Yoo Joo-sang fought Santos last year as a late replacement for a bout that had originally been scheduled with Choi Doo-ho and suffered a 2nd-round KO loss. For Choi Doo-ho, this is a match where he cannot back down any further.
Choi Doo-ho emphasized, "As the eldest, I have to avenge my younger teammates," adding, "People keep talking about the 'Korean killer,' but I want to erase that name itself."
Santos continued to taunt. He posted images of the fallen Korean fighters on social media and left the phrase "Who's next?", expressing his desire to face Choi Doo-ho. Ultimately, the matchup was made.
Santos said, "I've ended up fighting Korean fighters three times in a row," and added, "I feel the styles are somewhat similar." However, he expressed caution about Choi Doo-ho.
He evaluated, "Choi Doo-ho is definitely different. He has a lot of UFC experience and is a fighter who had an incredible match with Cub Swanson."
Choi Doo-ho is determined to prove his competitiveness once again with this comeback fight.
Since returning in 2023, he has been praised for training with 'Korean Zombie' Jung Chan-sung and improving his fighting style and completeness. In fact, some analyses say he shows more stability and stronger fight management than before.
Choi Doo-ho said confidently, "I'm not young anymore, but I feel I am getting stronger," adding, "I prepared many new weapons during the hiatus. I want to show that part in this fight."
His assessment of his opponent was also cold. Choi Doo-ho said, "Santos is on a four-fight winning streak in the UFC and is good at both striking and grappling," but added, "I also possess those qualities sufficiently. I don't think I'm particularly outmatched."
He continued, "It's likely to unfold as a striking match," and showed confidence, "I don't know if Santos can stand and endure the striking through to the end."
On the other hand, Santos has no intention of backing down either. He loudly declared, "It will be a rough fight as everyone expects," and said, "I'll apply heavy pressure during the second round and aim for a third-round KO."
Santos's team, SBG, is a prestigious Brazilian team that produced Charles Oliveira and Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua, among others. It is famous for brawling and a strong pressure style.
Currently, overseas bookmakers predict Choi Doo-ho to be narrowly behind. But Choi Doo-ho was unshaken.
He showed strong determination, saying, "I'm preparing with the mindset that this could be my last."
Meanwhile, in the event's main event, No. 7-ranked UFC featherweight Arnold Allen and No. 12 Melquizael Costa will clash. The event will be broadcast live from 9 a.m. on the 17th on tvN SPORTS and TVING.
[Photo] Provided by UFC.
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