Korean featherweight faces retiring veteran Erosa at UFC Fight Night on Sunday

Lee Jung-young exchanges blows with Blake Bilder. [UFC]
Lee Jung-young exchanges blows with Blake Bilder. [UFC]

"Korean Tiger" Lee Jung-young, 30, is set to make a comeback against veteran Julian Erosa, 37, of the United States, who is fighting in what he has announced will be the final bout of his career.

Lee will face Erosa in a featherweight (65.8 kilograms) undercard bout at UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Nolan, to be held at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday (Korean Standard Time). It marks Lee's return to the octagon after roughly a year and a half away.

Lee, who won the featherweight title in Road to UFC Season 1, got off to a strong start in the UFC by defeating Blake Bilder in his debut. Since then, back-to-back losses to Hayder Hassan and Daniel Santos have left Lee with an overall MMA record of 11 wins and 3 losses.

Lee is determined to snap the losing streak and claim a second UFC victory. "With the confidence I originally had, I never thought I would lose two in a row — but at some point I fell apart and that's what happened," Lee said. "Through that process, I felt and learned a great deal."

"I don't want to feel defeat anymore," Lee added. "I'm going to carry a winner's mindset like a tiger, act like a winner, and keep winning from here on out." The urgency in Lee's words reflected a fighter who feels there is no more room to fall back.

Erosa is a long-tenured UFC veteran who made his debut through The Ultimate Fighter Season 22 in 2015. After being cut and re-signed, Erosa holds a UFC record of 9 wins and 9 losses.

Erosa has said this bout will be his last as a professional fighter. In a recent interview, Erosa said the birth of a son shifted his priorities in life, and that the decision to retire came out of consideration for his family and long-term health.

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Erosa is a strong submission specialist with notable wins over Nate Landwehr, Darren Elkins and Charles Jourdain.

Julian Erosa (right) throws a punch against Ricardo Ramos. Erosa has announced he will retire after his bout with Lee Jung-young. [UFC]
Julian Erosa (right) throws a punch against Ricardo Ramos. Erosa has announced he will retire after his bout with Lee Jung-young. [UFC]

"He's a long fighter with a lot of experience — he's been through everything, so I absolutely cannot let my guard down," Lee said. Lee also expressed confidence in the matchup, saying, "Erosa is looking toward retirement now, but I still have further to climb. I'm faster and I hit harder."

Lee said he wants to recapture the momentum that carried him to the Road to UFC title. "I want to go into the octagon and show everyone I can fight like a tiger, with no regrets," Lee said. "If I do that, I think I'll be happy and able to hold my head high regardless of the result."

Meanwhile, the main event will feature a lightweight bout between No. 12-ranked Renato Moicano, 37, of Brazil, and No. 14-ranked Tom Nolan, 26, of Australia.

Moicano, who holds an overall record of 21 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses, returns to the octagon roughly seven months after submitting Chris Duncan in April. Nolan, with an overall record of 11 wins and 1 loss, enters on a five-fight UFC winning streak and is looking to break into the upper rankings.

Lee's bout and the rest of the card will be broadcast live in South Korea starting at 7 a.m. Sunday on tvN Sports and Tving.


yjc@heraldcorp.com