ZFN’s five representatives delivered bold predictions ahead of their August 30 cross-promotional event at the TFC Arena in Gimpo, South Korea at ZFN vs TFC.
ZFN is not traveling to the TFC Arena merely hoping to leave with a winning record. Its fighters are predicting a clean sweep.
Ahead of the five-on-five promotional showdown between ZFN and TFC on August 30, ZFN assembled its five representatives for an official send-off ceremony. The fighters discussed their recent performances, preparation and respective opponents before delivering one collective prediction: ZFN will defeat TFC 5–0.
The event brings together fighters from different teams, weight classes and stages of their careers. Some are attempting to rebound from difficult losses, while others are looking to build on recent victories. For one night, however, they will compete under the same ZFN banner inside TFC’s home arena.
Sung Jun Hyup Embraces a New Approach
Jun Hyup Sung emerged as the unofficial captain of the ZFN team after organizing a group chat and offering to communicate directly with TFC officials on behalf of the other fighters.
His preparation for Seung Joon Lee also appears markedly different from what preceded his last appearance.
Sung admitted that his previous fight against Ji Won Kang forced him to reconsider the way he approached MMA. Until then, he believed he had largely relied on his toughness, aggression and willingness to fight through difficult situations.
Facing Kang showed him that those qualities alone would not be enough.
Although Sung received praise for remaining competitive in defeat, he said he felt as though he had been drawn into his opponent’s preferred pace and prevented from showing what he wanted to do. The experience led him to join Red Fox and begin following a more systematic training program.
Now fully recovered from his previous injuries, Sung says he is cutting weight, improving his movement and preparing with considerably more structure.
He was far less complimentary when assessing Lee.
Sung questioned Lee’s punching power and grappling ability, arguing that his opponent will be in danger whether the fight remains at distance or moves into close range. He also believes Lee may have gained too much confidence after watching Sung struggle against Kang.
“This fight feels like a slightly lower level of difficulty,” Sung said. “If we get close, it will be dangerous for him. If we stay apart, it will still be dangerous for him.”
ZFN’s Young Fighters Challenge TFC Experience
The remaining four ZFN representatives expressed similar confidence, even when facing opponents with significantly more experience.
Hyo Jun Han returned to training almost immediately after defeating Lee Du Ri. After identifying conditioning and grappling as areas requiring improvement, he increased his physical preparation and added training at Havas MMA.
His attitude toward the TFC matchup became more personal after hearing his opponent predict that he would put Han to sleep. Han responded with some of the ceremony’s strongest language, saying his original intention had been to fight, collect his purse and leave—but that he now planned to enter the cage with a much more aggressive objective.
Hyun Woo Kim is still searching for his first professional victory, but his record does not tell the full story of his early career.
Kim made his professional debut against current AFC champion Hyun Jae Song before facing Brandon Burgos in a competitive ZFN appearance. Rather than requesting easier opposition, Kim said those difficult experiences will help prepare him to win at a higher level.
Following his last fight, Kim traveled to Japan to improve his grappling and continued working separately on his boxing. Despite his background in judo, he believes he has become sufficiently well-rounded to defeat his TFC opponent in the striking exchanges as well.
“I don’t think I necessarily have to take the fight to the ground,” Kim said. “I believe I can finish it with my striking.”
Min Chan Ji Faces a Veteran of Another Generation
One of the event’s most noticeable experience gaps belongs to Min Chan Ji and Hyun Woo Nam.
Nam made his professional debut in 2006 and has accumulated nearly 20 fights across a career spanning two decades. Ji was only being born around the time Nam entered professional MMA.
Ji acknowledged Nam’s physical strength and experience but showed little concern about the difference in their résumés. He has spent approximately two months preparing in Seoul after relocating from Busan and has also gained attention for completing a 200-kilogram deadlift during his physical training.
Rather than meeting Nam in an uncontrolled brawl, Ji intends to use a more intelligent and complete approach.
“I want to stop him from doing what he does well,” Ji said.
“Instead of taking unnecessary risks in an uncertain fight, I want to win decisively—10–0.”
Ji also addressed comments suggesting that Shin Woo Lee would prefer to face Jong Hak Yoo because defeating Ji would offer little benefit. Ji conceded that his 2–3 professional record may have influenced that assessment but warned that he would not be an easy matchup.
Jong Hak Yoo Targets Shin Woo Lee and a Future Beyond Korea
Jong Hak Yoo enters the contest against Shin Woo Lee after recovering from injuries sustained in his previous fight.
Lee possesses boxing ability, quick footwork and international experience, including a five-round title fight in Australia. Yoo has studied those appearances closely but remains convinced that he can control the matchup.
Yoo identified Lee’s movement as an area requiring caution but believes he holds advantages in nearly every other phase. He plans to use his kicking game to disrupt Lee’s rhythm and create uncertainty over when he will attack with his hands.
His ambitions also extend beyond the TFC matchup.
When asked about future opponents, Yoo did not call for one particular domestic name. Instead, he explained that his goal is to continue developing, defeat whoever is placed in front of him and eventually reach the UFC.
ZFN’s leadership supported that ambition while issuing a warning: fighters competing in crowded international divisions cannot rely exclusively on decisions. To advance to the highest level, they must develop the power, positioning and technique required to consistently finish opponents.
Yoo acknowledged the criticism, admitting that some fans may not enjoy his current style. He promised to continue building his skills until he can deliver the type of finishes expected from an international prospect.
Five Fighters, One Prediction
Although the event consists of five individual fights, ZFN has deliberately framed it as a collective test.
The fighters have created their own communication channel, selected a captain and embraced the pressure attached to representing their promotion inside the TFC Arena. ZFN’s message to them was that this pressure should not be feared. Any athlete hoping to eventually compete before UFC audiences must first learn to perform when the expectations of a team and its supporters are placed upon them.
“Later, the entire country, and eventually the entire world, could be watching you,” the fighters were told during the ceremony. “Compared to that pressure, this is something you should enjoy.”
The send-off concluded with repeated calls for five victories and a final rallying cry directed at TFC.
Confidence will not determine the result once the cage closes. But before the first fight has even begun, ZFN has made its expectations unmistakably clear: five matchups, five victories and no concessions on TFC’s home ground.
The ZFN vs TFC five-on-five event takes place August 30 at the TFC Arena in Gimpo, with the action scheduled to stream through TFC’s official YouTube channel.
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