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By: Jason Bent, MMATorch Columnist The UFC is looking to gain a foothold in every country and Dong Hyun Kim represents the chance to check South Korea off of their list. The "Stun Gun" looks to move on following his no contest against the heavily medicated Karo Parisyan at UFC 94 and in his way is the young and athletic Canadian, TJ Grant. Well, one of the young and athletic Canadians on the UFC 100 card.
Dong Hyun Kim is a 27 yr. old South Korean mixed martial artist who began his career by fighting in smaller promotions, but soon retired from active competition once it became clear no financial gains could be had. Kim would begin to pursue Judo in New Zealand and this would lead him back to where he began as he would return to Korea and a career in MMA. Kim began training at one of the dojos associated with Wajyutsu Keisyukai and would soon become a regular sparring partner of current UFC-middleweight Yushin Okami.
Dong Hyun Kim would sign with DEEP and knocked out the then-welterweight champion Hidehiko Hasegawa in a non-tile bout in 2007. He would fight to a draw in a following bout with the champion and sign with PRIDE but the dismantling of the promotion following the UFC purchase would leave Kim without a home. The WEC scouts had their eye on Kim and offered him a contract but Kim's management pushed for a UFC contract instead since the WEC is not televised in Korea.
Dong Hyun Kim made his UFC debut a successful one in scoring a 3rd round TKO victory over Jason Tan in their bout at UFC 84. With this outing, Kim became only the second Korean to ever fight in the UFC Octagon and the only to ever win a bout. This bout did not make air as a part of the PPV but was televised in Korea and then replayed two more times as a part of their broadcast.
Dong Hyun Kim sports a career record of 11 wins against no defeats with 6 of his wins coming by way of KO and 1 by submission. His notable wins came against Hidehiko Hasegawa, Jason Tan and Matt Brown. He would have had one loss on his record as he dropped a split decision to Karo Parisyan at UFC 94, but post-fight drug tests failed by Parisyan forced this one to be overturned and ruled a no contest.
Kim's win over Matt Brown is also one which is somewhat controversial as many folks had the bout scored in Brown's favor, but most who have went and reviewed the footage have been in agreement with the scoring. Kim has shown a propensity for starting off rather fast and furious but tiring out quickly, and so far has been unable to show any different based on his bouts against Brown and Parisyan. Kim will be looking to avoid any controversy at all and score a definitive win over Grant on the biggest stage of all at UFC 100.
TJ Grant is a 25 yr. old Canadian mixed martial artist who after only three years as a professional received the opportunity of a lifetime when he signed a four fight contract with the UFC this April. He was incredulous upon receiving the news, and simply did not believe it when his manager informed him of said deal and a bout against Ryo Chonan on the UFC 97 card. All of Grant's hard work had paid off and he would now be fighting under the banner of the world's largest promotion, and in his home country of Canada.
TJ Grant's career record stands at 14 wins against only 2 defeats with 12 of his wins by way of submission and 1 by KO. Notable wins have come against UFC veterans Chad Reiner and Forrest Petz to go along with his biggest win of all which came against Ryo Chonan in his very first UFC bout at UFC 97. Grant took home the split decision victory over the ever durable Chonan, who most notably is one of the three men who can say they have defeated Anderson Silva. For TJ Grant it was a dream to get the call to fight in the UFC, and his dream couldn't have been any more fully realized as he heard his name echo through the arena as he stood in the UFC Octagon, victorious in his debut.
Grant will be looking to make it two-for-two in the UFC when he faces Kim on the undercard of UFC 100. When you take into consideration all of the pressure he must have felt in facing Chonan in his debut and doing so in Canada, it would make one seem to think he feels considerably less pressure this time out. However, all young fighters know they may be one fight away from fighting in the UFC or making a mark but they will always be one fight away from finding themselves on the outside and looking in. For Grant, he is hoping to stun the "Stun Gun" and enjoy his time in the UFC just a while longer.
Bent's Prediction: TJ Grant by 2nd Round Submission (Arm Bar)
Kim is one hell of a fighter, and a very large welterweight, but I truly feel like this is the wrong match up for him on every level. Grant hits harder, has a much better Muay Thai background and is the quicker of the two. Kim is a bit plodding, and especially so if the pace is pushed briskly through the first round.
TJ Grant is no Matt Brown, and he certainly will bring more fight than a medicated Parisyan, so this one is just bad all over for the Korean. TJ Grant will be a fighter to watch one day, and that day may not necessarily be now, but it is coming. For Dong Hyun Kim, that day will come too quickly and he will have to watch as Grant pulls off the submission and takes the victory. I do not see this one making air unless the finish is spectacular, but I look for Grant to open the eyes of those who have deemed Kim to be something special.
There is no doubt about Kim's importance to the Korean market and his abilities are certainly top tier in terms of his belonging in the UFC. The problem is that this is not the right fight for him to even look good in, and I am unsure just how he will react to the clinch of Grant, and this is why I feel he will make the mistake which will lead to him tapping out.
If we are lucky, we will see this once at the end of the broadcast but the Koreans may have to watch this thing two or three times and watch their hero get stunned for once.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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