This Week’s MMA Birthdays: Chan Sung Jung Turns 27

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Established as one of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s most popular fighters and one of MMA’s premier featherweights, Chan Sung Jung will celebrate his 27th birthday on March 17.

Jung has rattled off three wins in four appearances, though injuries have curbed some of the enthusiasm surrounding him. “The Korean Zombie” last appeared at UFC 163 in August, when he failed in his bid to unseat featherweight champion Jose Aldo at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A shoulder injury suffered in the fourth round led to a technical knockout loss and has kept him on the sidelines ever since. In four UFC appearances, Jung has earned four post-fight bonuses -- two for “Submission of the Night,” one for “Knockout of the Night” and another for “Fight of the Night” -- worth a total of $210,000. He made history at UFC Fight Night 24 in March 2011, when he submitted Leonard Garcia with a twister and became the first fighter ever to end a bout with the maneuver inside the Octagon.

Spawned by Korean Top Team, Jung has secured 11 of his 13 professional victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. Wins over 2009 Sengoku featherweight grand prix finalist Michihiro Omigawa, American Top Team’s Dustin Poirier, former TKO Major League MMA champion Mark Hominick and reigning bantamweight King of Pancrase Shintaro Ishiwatari highlight his resume.

Those in MMA celebrating a birthday during the week covering March 16-March 22:

MARCH 16

Brad Imes (37)
Josh Pulsifer (31)

MARCH 17

Antoine Hayes (38)
Fabio Maldonado (34)
Bae Yong Kwon (33)
Chan Sung Jung (27)

MARCH 18

Nate Quarry (42)
Kyle Noke (34)
Brendan Schaub (31)

MARCH 19

Ryuichi Miki (31)
Baga Agaev (29)

MARCH 20

Daniel Cormier (35)
Rogent Lloret (35)
Robbie Lawler (32)
Goran Reljic (30)

MARCH 21

John Salter (29)

MARCH 22

Andre Pederneiras (47)
Jamal Patterson (40)
Kyle Kingsbury (32)
Joe Soto (27)

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