'Iron Turtle' Park Jun-yong (34) is set to hunt for his 9th win in the UFC.
Park Jun-yong (18 wins, 6 losses) will face Ismail Naurdiev (28, Austria/Morocco) in a middleweight (83.9 kg) match at 'UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Roundtree Jr.' on June 22 (Korean time) at the Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan.
He is aiming for the most wins by a Korean fighter in the UFC. Park Jun-yong wants to achieve the most victories and has been active in the UFC longer than anyone else. He readily names 'Stun Gun' Kim Dong-hyun (43) as a Korean UFC legend. Kim Dong-hyun holds records for the most appearances (18) and most wins (13) by a Korean fighter in the UFC. With a record of 8 wins and 3 losses, Park Jun-yong accepted this fight proposal to get closer to that goal.
Naurdiev (24 wins, 7 losses) is a former UFC fighter who was released and returned as a challenger. He entered the UFC in 2019, recording 2 wins and 2 losses before his contract expired in 2020. After competing in other organizations, he moved to middleweight at the end of 2023, securing 1 win before returning to the UFC the following year. In his comeback fight last October, he won a decision against Bruno Silva.
Born in the Chechen Republic of Russia, he holds citizenship in Austria and Morocco. He immigrated to Austria with his parents at the age of 9 in 2004 to escape the aftermath of the Second Chechen War. In 2020, he moved to Morocco after being invited by UFC fighters Abu Azaitar and Ottman Azaitar, acquiring citizenship there last year.
Park Jun-yong evaluated Naurdiev, saying, "Unlike other Russian fighters, he is a striker," adding, "He throws strikes quickly and lightly with both his hands and feet." He also noted, "He is not bad at wrestling," calling him a hexagon fighter who knows how to do mixed martial arts.
Naurdiev, originally a flashy kicker, has returned as a pragmatic wrestler. When he first entered the UFC, he used the nickname 'Austrian Wonderboy,' inspired by the karate fighter Stephen Thompson’s nickname 'Wonderboy,' emphasizing his kicks. However, he stated that he would employ a strategy to win during his second stint in the UFC. Ultimately, he utilized wrestling to secure a decision victory over Silva in his comeback fight.
If Naurdiev employs a wrestling strategy again, Park Jun-yong actually welcomes it. He emphasized, "I am confident in stamina fights against anyone, so I'd love to engage in a brawl, and I'm really confident about my stamina."
Although it will be his first time in Azerbaijan, he is not particularly worried about local adaptation. Park Jun-yong experienced a similar desert climate in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during a match against John Phillips in 2020. He expressed confidence, saying, "Climate doesn't matter much. As long as I manage my weight and conditioning well, I'll be fine."
If he wins this time, he can get closer to re-entering the rankings. Park Jun-yong expressed, "It's important to prove it in reality rather than just talk about it," hoping, "I would welcome any fighter ranked between 15th and 10th."
Finally, Park Jun-yong reaffirmed, "It’s natural to prepare to the best of my ability," noting, "Results matter in the professional world, so I will prepare hard to achieve a winning result."
In the main event of the 'UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Roundtree Jr.' where Park Jun-yong will compete, former UFC light heavyweight (93 kg) champion and current number 4 ranked Jamaal Hill (33, United States) will clash with number 7 Khalil Rountree Jr. (35, United States).
[Photo] Provided by UFC.
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