No. 5 featherweight Renato “Moicano” Carneiro (13-2, 6 SUBs) will meet No. 12 Chan Sung Jung, better known as “The Korean Zombie” (14-5, 4 KOs, 8 SUBs) at UFC on ESPN+ 12 on Saturday, June 22, 2109 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
The last time we saw The Korean Zombie in action, he was knocked out in the last second of the last round by Yair Rodriguez - in a fight that Jung was winning. It was one of the most spectacular knockouts in UFC history, a no-look elbow that dropped Jung cold.
It was a huge setback for a star looking to get back into title contention. But he’ll get another chance this Saturday when he meets “Moicano” Carneiro in the main event of South Carolina Fight Night card. You don’t need us to remind you that any fight featuring The Korean Zombie is must-watch television - the man collects Fight of the Night bonuses like they’re rare objects.
Moicano saw his own title run stopped by Jose Aldo this past February. After racking up a 5-1 UFC record, the Brazilian fell victim to one of Aldo’s best performances in years. Still, the 30-year old has wins over Cub Swanson, Calvin Kattar, Jeremy Stephens and nearly beat Brian Ortega before getting caught with a flash submission. He’s a legit contender, and nobody would be surprised if he fought for the title in the future.
In the bigger picture, a big performance here from the winner could determine the next challenger for the belt. Max Holloway set to defend his title against Frankie Edgar at UFC 240 in late July, lining up the timetables nicely should nobody get injured. Of course, Alex Volkanovski might have something to say about that.
Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at the online sportsbook and break down your best betting options. Live UFC betting is available to hedge your bets between rounds.
Online UFC Odds
Chan Sung Jung (The Korean Zombie) +175 (Bet365)
Renato “Moicano” Carneiro -180 (Sports Int.)
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: +185 / -245
Significant Striking Stats
Landed per minute: Moicano 5.71 / Jung 4.12
Accuracy: Moicano 46% / Jung 39%
Absorbed per minute: Moicano 3.45 / Jung 3.81
Defense: Moicano 68% / Jung 60%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Moicano 1.27 / Jung 0.81
Takedown accuracy: Moicano 54% / Jung 41%
Takedown defense: Moicano 75% / Jung 75%
Submission average: Moicano 0.42 / Jung 0.65
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Jung’s reputation as an all-action fighter is a bit outdated. While there are always moments where he will plunge forward without any regard for his safety, he’s far from the fighter that went toe-to-toe with Leonard Garcia years ago. Now much more aware of his defense, Zombie still prods forward, launching dynamic offensive assaults and showing a slick submission game on the ground. A big featherweight, the 32-year old can crack, grapple, take big hits and keep coming.
Like Jung, Moicano has shown the skills to be a top fighter in a loaded weight class, only to be set back with untimely losses. While he was brought into the UFC as a dangerous submission specialist, his time inside the octagon has shown a quick, skilled striker who outgunned Cub Swanson, Calvin Kattar and Brian Ortega (before getting caught). The Brazilian struggled with Aldo’s speedy counters, but Jung doesn’t have the same hand speed and reaction times (not many do).
It’s no surprise that Moicano opened as a clear favorite - his style is much more reliable and he carries the physical advantages here. However, the Zombie’s unorthodox offense is tough to prepare for, and once he gets into a groove his relentless, three-dimensional attack can be exhausting to keep up with.
UFC Odds Pick: Moicano to win at -180
There are a few concerns about Zombie here. While he looked fine against Rodriguez, his body is getting harder to trust after so many major injuries. The speed disadvantage will be huge here, as he’s dealing with a taller, longer striker who he might not be able to keep up with. As much as we love The Korean Zombie, we see him falling behind on points and being forced to chase Moicano in the later rounds.
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