Chang Min Yoon outworked Gyu Tae Seo in the main event, while Ji Won Kang stopped Rizin veteran Masashi Inada to close out an action-filled eight-fight card.
ZFN Origin 05 delivered an important night for two fighters attempting to rebuild their momentum on the Korean MMA scene.
In the main event, former ONE Championship fighter Chang Min Yoon defeated Gyu Tae Seo by unanimous decision after three competitive rounds at a 68.5-kilogram catchweight. The judges scored the fight 30–28, 29–28 and 29–28 for Yoon.
Heavyweight Ji Won Kang produced the more decisive result in the co-main event, stopping Japanese veteran Masashi Inada with ground-and-pound at 3:53 of the opening round.
The August 22 event aired live on UFC Fight Pass. All 16 fighters competing across the eight-fight card successfully made weight the previous morning.
Chang Min Yoon Rediscovers His Motivation
Chang Min Yoon entered the ZFN Origin 05 main event carrying more than the pressure of facing a physically strong opponent.
The former ONE Championship fighter admitted that he continued to doubt himself until the moment he walked into the cage. After previously suffering a knockout loss and then falling short in the Road to UFC Season 4 semifinals, Yoon said his confidence and motivation had declined.
Against Gyu Tae Seo, however, the work Yoon completed with Havas MMA began to show.
Yoon remained composed across the three-round fight and did enough to earn the decision on every scorecard. One judge awarded him all three rounds with a 30–28 score, while the remaining two returned 29–28 cards.
Following the victory, Yoon praised Seo’s strength and credited him with helping revive his competitive drive.
“I kept doubting myself right up until I entered the cage,” Yoon said. “I was afraid I might get knocked out, but the work I did with my team at Havas MMA did not disappear.”
Yoon also acknowledged that Seo’s decision to call him out helped give him a reason to compete again after the disappointment of Road to UFC.
“After losing in the Road to UFC Season 4 semifinals, I lost a lot of motivation,” he said. “Gyu Tae Seo’s callout helped bring that energy back. From now on, I want to make the most of every opportunity Chan Sung Jung gives me in ZFN.”
Yoon entered the event with a 7–2 record in ONE Championship. His victory over Seo may represent the beginning of a new chapter rather than simply another addition to his record.
Ji Won Kang Overwhelms Masashi Inada
Ji Won Kang made a powerful statement in the heavyweight co-main event.
Facing Rizin veteran Masashi Inada in a Korea-versus-Japan matchup, Kang took control of the fight and finished his opponent with ground-and-pound at 3:53 of the first round.
Both men brought major international experience into the cage. Kang previously compiled a 4–4 record in ONE Championship, while Inada competed twice in Rizin and went 1–1 in the Japanese promotion.
That experience did not prevent Kang from imposing his physicality. Once the fight reached the ground, he delivered enough unanswered strikes to force the referee’s intervention before the end of the opening round.
Kang immediately turned his attention toward ZFN’s planned year-end event.
“If Chan Sung Jung gives me a strong opponent for the big event at the end of the year, I will beat him down just like I did today,” Kang said. “I want to build a winning streak in ZFN and then try to reach the UFC.”
The result gave ZFN a credible heavyweight contender with recognizable international experience—and Kang made it clear that he views the promotion as a possible path back to the sport’s biggest stage.
Da Hyun Kyung Rebounds and Calls Out Sung Bin Kim
“The Korean Oak” Da Hyun Kyung earned a unanimous-decision victory over “Hulk” Hyun Soo Jung in their two-round bantamweight contest.
All three judges scored the fight 20–19 for Kyung.
The victory was especially meaningful after Kyung’s one-sided defeat against Nabi in his previous appearance. Kyung described the loss as creating a “butterfly effect,” saying the experience forced him to make meaningful improvements.
He is not immediately seeking a rematch with Nabi. Instead, the 2007-born prospect called out “Python” Sung Bin Kim, who was born in 1997.
“Before I get my revenge against Nabi, I want to have an exciting fight,” Kyung said. “Why don’t you try getting hit by someone ten years younger than you?”
Chang Jun Choi Stops Jung Woo Kim
“Trigger” Chang Jun Choi defeated “Korean Gorilla” Jung Woo Kim by second-round TKO in their light-heavyweight bout.
Choi secured the stoppage with ground-and-pound at 3:31 of the second round, although the performance was not completely straightforward.
A low blow from Choi interrupted the opening round and resulted in Kim receiving two minutes to recover. Once the fight resumed, Kim’s striking presented more difficulty than Choi had anticipated.
Choi eventually regained his composure, brought the action to the ground and closed the fight with strikes.
“Jung Woo Kim’s striking was better than I expected, so I was caught off guard,” Choi said. “I had to reset myself mentally.”
Despite earning the stoppage, Choi was critical of his performance and declined to call out another opponent.
Sang Il Ahn Edges Jae Geun Yang
“Beautiful Monster” Sang Il Ahn defeated Jae Geun Yang by split decision in a closely contested heavyweight fight.
The judges scored the two-round contest 20–19, 19–20 and 20–19, giving Ahn the victory on two of the three scorecards.
A low blow from Ahn caused an interruption during the second round. Yang took one minute to recover before indicating that he was ready to continue.
Ahn, who previously competed at middleweight and light heavyweight, admitted that moving up to face a true heavyweight brought a different level of physical punishment.
“I learned that heavyweight punches really hurt,” Ahn said. “I was born in 1983, but I can still fight. I want to become the gatekeeper of ZFN’s heavier divisions. I will not open that gate easily.”
Do Woo Yoo Delivers a First-Round Finish
“Rumble” Do Woo Yoo recorded one of the event’s most decisive victories against Shin Chul Chun in their 72-kilogram catchweight fight.
Yoo stopped Chun with ground-and-pound at 3:58 of the first round.
The finish demonstrated Yoo’s ability to create damage once the fight reached the mat. Afterward, he acknowledged that his overall game remains a work in progress but emphasized that he already possesses the tools needed to end fights.
“I am not a complete fighter yet,” Yoo said. “But I can finish an opponent in exciting fashion.”
Min Gu Jeon Sweeps the Scorecards
“Blue Beast” Min Gu Jeon defeated Si Won Oh by unanimous decision in their welterweight matchup.
All three judges scored the two-round fight 20–18 for Jeon, giving him every round on every scorecard.
Jeon controlled enough of the action to secure a clear decision but offered praise for his opponent afterward. He said Oh had made noticeable improvements to his grappling while remaining exceptionally strong and durable.
“Si Won Oh worked hard to address his grappling weaknesses,” Jeon said. “His strength and durability were both very impressive.”
Hwa Rang Park Wins After Injury Stoppage
Hwa Rang Park defeated “Baekjeong” Sung Min Bong by injury TKO in the opening fight of the event.
The stoppage came 54 seconds into the second round of their 62.5-kilogram catchweight contest. Bong suffered an injury, leading the referee to stop the fight.
Although Park was officially awarded a TKO victory, the ending came as a result of Bong being unable to safely continue rather than a conventional striking stoppage.
Full ZFN Origin 05 Results
- Chang Min Yoon def. Gyu Tae Seo by unanimous decision (30–28, 29–28, 29–28) — 68.5 kg
- Ji Won Kang def. Masashi Inada by TKO, ground-and-pound — Round 1, 3:53 — heavyweight
- Da Hyun Kyung def. Hyun Soo Jung by unanimous decision (20–19, 20–19, 20–19) — bantamweight
- Chang Jun Choi def. Jung Woo Kim by TKO, ground-and-pound — Round 2, 3:31 — light heavyweight
- Sang Il Ahn def. Jae Geun Yang by split decision (20–19, 19–20, 20–19) — heavyweight
- Do Woo Yoo def. Shin Chul Chun by TKO, ground-and-pound — Round 1, 3:58 — 72 kg
- Min Gu Jeon def. Si Won Oh by unanimous decision (20–18, 20–18, 20–18) — welterweight
- Hwa Rang Park def. Sung Min Bong by injury TKO — Round 2, 0:54 — 62.5 kg
A New Direction for Two ONE Championship Veterans
The two featured bouts gave ZFN Origin 05 its clearest storyline.
Chang Min Yoon did not produce a finish, but his victory carried significance beyond the scorecards. After struggling with doubt and losing motivation, he completed three competitive rounds and rediscovered a reason to move forward.
Ji Won Kang required less time to deliver his message. His first-round stoppage of an experienced Rizin opponent immediately placed him among the heavyweights to watch as ZFN prepares for its year-end event.
One left the cage with his confidence beginning to return. The other left with a UFC ambition and a request for stronger competition. For both former ONE Championship fighters, ZFN Origin 05 may have provided exactly the restart they needed.
Follow HanPunch for the latest Korean MMA news, exclusive fighter interviews, event coverage, and the stories shaping combat sports across Asia.
About The Author
Join the Conversation