Winner of 13 UFC bouts since making his Octagon debut in 2008, South Korea’s Dong Hyun Kim was one of the most underrated welterweights in the world for a long time, but that situation has changed considerably in the last couple years, as the “Stun Gun” has opened up his attack, finishing four of his last five wins. This Saturday on UFC FIGHT PASS, Kim is in Singapore to face Colby Covington. Yet before fight night arrives, here are seven of Kim’s defining moments.
Jason Tan – May 24, 2008 – UFC 84 (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)
Result – Kim TKO3
Only the second Korean fighter to compete in the UFC, Dong Hyun Kim opened the door for several of his countrymen to enter the Octagon, and it all started with this third-round TKO of England’s Tan. This was a big deal for fans in South Korea and Kim delivered, showing off the style that would overwhelm several opponents in the future.
Matt Brown – September 6, 2008 – UFC 88 (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)
Result – Kim W3
Fresh off his stint on The Ultimate Fighter, Matt Brown wasn’t yet showing the form that has taken him to the upper reaches of the welterweight division, but it is key to point out that after “The Immortal” lost this razor-thin split decision to Kim, he went on to win three straight, all by finish. As for Kim, it wasn’t his most impressive victory, but in outlasting Brown, he showed off the chin and resilience that would become his trademark.
Nate Diaz – January 1, 2011 (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)
Result – Kim W3
Using a smothering ground attack that always began with his nearly unstoppable takedowns, Kim snapped rising star Diaz’ two fight welterweight winning streak while pushing his own unbeaten slate to 14-0-1 with 1 NC. By now, Kim had yet to lose in six Octagon outings (a split decision loss to Karo Parisyan at UFC 94 was overturned to a no contest), and he was starting to get recognition as a serious 170-pound threat.
Paulo Thiago - November 10, 2012 – UFC on FUEL TV (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)
Result – Kim W3
After such a strong start to his UFC campaign, Kim’s rise hit a couple roadblocks when he lost two of his next three, getting knocked out by a Carlos Condit flying knee at UFC 132 and suffering an injury-induced loss to Demian Maia at UFC 148. In between, he won a three-rounder over Sean Pierson, but his November 2012 matchup with Paulo Thiago was going to be a pivotal one to keep his championship hopes alive. In response, Kim put together an impressive and dominant three-round decision win to begin the road back.
Siyar Bahadurzada – March 3, 2013 – UFC on FUEL TV (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)
Result – Kim W3
Given the fact that he doesn’t speak English, you don’t get too much in the way of trash talk from Kim. But when an interview Kim conducted about his fight against Siyar Bahadurzada got translated into English, with “Stun Gun” saying he didn’t know who the Afghan knockout artist was, it added a new level of intrigue to the bout. But as soon as the bell rang, Bahadurzada was unable to make Kim pay for this perceived lack of respect, as the Busan native again used a smothering ground attack to win a clear three-round unanimous decision.
Erick Silva – October 9, 2013 – UFC Fight Night (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)
Result – Kim KO2
The Bahadurzada win was a turning point for Kim. As far as he was concerned, he had established himself in the UFC, but more importantly, he has proved that Korean fighters had a place in the promotion. Now it was time for him to let loose in the Octagon, and he did just that against Brazil’s Erick Silva, engaging in the most exciting fight of his UFC career before knocking Silva out in the second round. This was the real “Stun Gun.”
John Hathaway – March 1, 2014 – TUF China Finale (Watch on UFC FIGHT PASS)
Result – Kim KO3
The Silva win was no mirage, as Kim finished off John Hathaway five months later in Macao. But it wasn’t just that Kim scored his second consecutive knockout; it was the way he did it, with a spinning back elbow that knocked his foe out instantly and landed the finish in the number one spot on UFC.com’s Knockout of the Year list. Just like that, Kim had turned into must see TV at 170 pounds, and this weekend he hopes to add another clip to his highlight reel when he faces Covington.
