Sang Wook Kim will defend his AFC title against a Japanese challenger on October 9, while teammate Seok Hyeon Ko reveals plans for an intensive U.S. training camp ahead of his previously announced UFC return.
Sang Wook Kim (also spelled Sang Uk Kim) is officially back on the calendar.
In a new video alongside UFC welterweight Seok Hyeon Ko, Kim announced that he will defend his AFC title on October 9 as the promotion stages a major event at Inje Speedium in Gangwon Province.
For Kim, the announcement brings something that has been missing from his recent AFC appearances: the opportunity to compete in front of Korean fans again.
AFC has held several of its recent events in Vietnam, meaning supporters wanting to watch Kim compete in person have had to travel overseas. With the promotion returning to Korea for its 10th-anniversary event, Kim now gets to put his championship on the line at home.
And the date gives the matchup an interesting Korea-Japan angle.
October 9 is Hangul Day in South Korea.
Kim’s challenger is Japanese.
Kim Looks to Stay Perfect Against Japanese Opposition
Kim didn’t reveal much hesitation when discussing the matchup.
During the video, he pointed out that he has never lost to a Japanese opponent, citing four previous victories across his appearances in ROAD FC, AFC and ZFN.
Now he wants to make it five.
But his team quickly made sure that confidence didn’t turn into complacency.
Kim’s opponent was described as a southpaw with a karate background who possesses sharp, compact punches and kicks. After studying his challenger, Kim and his team acknowledged that AFC has brought in a legitimate threat for the championship fight.
The message from his coaches was straightforward: this is a title fight, and challengers often arrive with a different level of urgency.
Kim was reminded of previous championship fights in which opponents proved considerably more difficult to finish once a belt was on the line.
There can be confidence.
There can’t be carelessness.
Kim agreed, saying that while his opponent will arrive determined to take the championship, his own preparation will carry the same sense of urgency.
A Bigger Stage for AFC’s Return to Korea
The setting should make the title defense feel different from Kim’s recent AFC appearances.
The promotion is preparing a larger-scale event at Inje Speedium, with the venue providing an unusual backdrop for MMA.
During the announcement, Kim and his teammates even joked about plans for an elaborate entrance involving a Lamborghini — fitting for an event being staged at a motorsports complex.
Beyond the spectacle, however, the significance for Kim is much simpler.
He’s fighting at home again.
After competing for AFC in Vietnam, the October 9 event gives Korean supporters another opportunity to watch him defend his championship without leaving the country.
For Kim, the objective is equally straightforward: successfully defend the belt and extend his unbeaten run against Japanese opposition to 5-0.
Seok Hyeon Ko Shares New Details on UFC Preparation
Kim wasn’t the only fighter at the table with a fight approaching.
HanPunch previously reported that Seok Hyeon Ko will return to the UFC against Wellington Turman in Las Vegas in November.
The matchup itself isn’t new.
What Ko revealed this time was how seriously he plans to approach the preparation.
Coming off his first UFC defeat, Ko admitted that he initially wondered whether he might have to wait longer before receiving another opportunity. Instead, the UFC came back with another fight relatively quickly.
Now he intends to make the most of the turnaround.
With Chuseok approaching and many of his usual training partners expected to travel home for the holiday, Ko doesn’t want a disrupted training schedule during an important portion of his camp.
His solution is to leave Korea.
Ko Plans Two-Week Training Camp at Kings MMA
Ko revealed that he plans to spend approximately two weeks training in Los Angeles, with Kings MMA among the destinations for the camp.
The decision is largely about finding the right environment.
Ko explained that the holiday period could make it difficult to maintain his normal collection of training partners in Korea. Rather than attempting to piece together sessions during Chuseok, he wants to spend that period somewhere he can completely focus on preparation.
Kings MMA should also provide access to larger training partners around the welterweight and middleweight divisions.
The trip isn’t inexpensive.
Ko openly discussed the financial commitment involved in traveling to the United States for camp, particularly with the cost of living he and his teammates experienced during previous trips.
Fortunately, family connections in the Los Angeles area should help reduce some of the accommodation expenses.
Still, Ko isn’t viewing the trip as a vacation.
He’s viewing it as an investment.
The goal is to use those two weeks to put himself in the strongest possible position before returning to Korea for the remainder of camp and eventually traveling to Las Vegas.
Kim Will Go From Fighter to Cornerman
The two upcoming fights will also overlap in another way.
Once Kim completes his AFC title defense, he plans to turn his attention toward Ko.
Kim volunteered to join Ko’s corner in Las Vegas.
Ko welcomed the offer, explaining that Kim has become particularly valuable in the corner because of how seriously he approaches the responsibility. Rather than simply accompanying a teammate, Kim actively watches the fight, processes what is happening and communicates with the fighter between rounds.
That relationship means October and November will effectively become one extended camp for the team.
First, everyone focuses on getting Kim through his AFC title defense.
Then the attention shifts toward Ko.
The fighter becomes the cornerman.
And the teammate who helped him prepare becomes the one walking into the Octagon.
“We Have to Speak Through Our Fights”
Ko also addressed the mindset he’s carrying into his UFC return.
His last appearance brought the first defeat of his UFC career, along with a level of attention that he said taught him a great deal — both from the opponent standing across from him and from the supporters who responded afterward.
But Ko isn’t interested in answering that result with explanations.
“We have to speak through our fights,” was the message from the team.
Ko said he intends to approach the upcoming camp without regrets: train in Los Angeles, return to Korea, finish his preparation with Kim and the rest of the team, and then demonstrate the result when the cage door closes.
Kim has his opportunity first.
On October 9, he puts his AFC championship on the line in Korea against a Japanese challenger looking to become the first fighter from Japan to beat him.
Then the roles change.
Kim heads to the corner, Ko heads into the Octagon, and another fight begins.
For two teammates entering two very different stages, the plan for the closing months of 2026 is remarkably similar.
Prepare without regrets.
Then let the fights do the talking.
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