Lee Jung-young hands rival a storybook farewell, falls to third straight UFC loss

Lee knocked down Erosa before suffering KO reversal

Cormier calls it 'a fairytale ending'

Lee now faces real threat of UFC roster cut

Julian Erosa lands a straight right to the chin of Lee Jung-young (left) during UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday (Korean Standard Time). The punch sent Lee to the canvas. [TVN broadcast capture]

"Korean Tiger" Lee Jung-young, fighting for his own UFC survival, ended up handing his opponent the most dramatic of farewell victories. Lee was knocked out in the first round after squandering an early knockdown, falling to a third consecutive UFC defeat and putting his place on the roster in serious doubt.

Lee lost to Julian Erosa (37, United States) by KO at 1 minute 31 seconds of the first round at UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Nolan, held Sunday (Korean Standard Time) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lee dominated the opening exchanges. Moments after the glove touch, Lee dropped Erosa with a left hook and swarmed with follow-up strikes, coming close to finishing the fight before Erosa could recover. Erosa, however, weathered the storm.

After surviving the early onslaught, Erosa quickly turned the tide. A left jab set up a powerful straight right that landed flush on Lee's chin, sending Lee crashing to the mat. Erosa followed with ground strikes until the referee stopped the contest. In just 91 seconds, the fortunes of both fighters had completely reversed. Erosa secured a dramatic comeback win in what was his retirement bout, while Lee — desperate to snap a losing streak — was left with another defeat.

Erosa's final performance drew wide praise overseas. Former two-division UFC champion and broadcast commentator Daniel Cormier called it "a fairytale ending" immediately after the fight. Former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad also took to social media to express admiration for the comeback.

MMA Fighting, a US combat sports outlet, also described Erosa's finish as a fairytale ending. MMA Mania noted that Lee had appeared on the verge of ruining Erosa's retirement party early on, but the veteran overcame the crisis to claim a memorable final victory.

Julian Erosa and Lee Jung-young face off at the weigh-in on Saturday (Korean Standard Time), the day before the event. [UFC]

Erosa, who also earned a $100,000 performance bonus that night, had made clear before the fight that retirement was the plan regardless of the result. The birth of his son had shifted his priorities, and Erosa had resolved to step away while still healthy to build a future with his family. A knockout win in the final bout made for an even more dramatic send-off.

For Lee, the reality could not have been more different. The Road to UFC Season 1 featherweight champion earned the first win of his UFC main roster career in February 2024, defeating Blake Bilder by decision. Lee then suffered a TKO loss to Hayder Hassan that July, followed by a decision loss to Daniel Santos last May. The defeat to Erosa extended the losing streak to three.

Lee's UFC main roster record now stands at 1 win and 3 losses, with an overall MMA record of 11 wins and 4 losses. Particularly striking is the trajectory: Lee had lost only once before reaching the UFC but has now dropped three straight bouts, halting what had been a sharp upward rise.

The prospect of a roster cut has become a real concern. US sports information outlet Rotowire assessed after the Erosa loss that Lee's place on the UFC roster could be in jeopardy. Even before the fight, while Lee was on a two-fight losing skid, Rotowire had warned that another defeat could put Lee at risk of being released.

yjc@heraldcorp.com