Holloway retires 'Korean Zombie' with devastating KO

As Max Holloway added an exhilarating highlight to his reel, "The Korean Zombie" called time on his career.

Holloway, the former UFC featherweight champion, knocked out Chan Sung Jung in the UFC Singapore main event, crushing him with a right hand at the 0:23 mark of the third round Saturday.

Afterward, Jung announced his retirement from mixed martial arts at age 36.

"I'm going to stop fighting," Jung said through an interpreter in his post-fight interview. "I've always aimed to become a champion when I first started the sport. I'm not here to be ranked third, fourth, or fifth. I tried my absolute best to prepare for Max Holloway. I really, really believed I could beat him. But I ended up failing, so I don't think I have the opportunity anymore. So I think I'm going to stop fighting."

Jung fought in true "Korean Zombie" fashion in his final trip to the Octagon.

At the start of the third round, Jung appeared to throw caution to the wind. He pressured Holloway and looked for the kill shot. But in the midst of a wild exchange, Holloway caught Jung with a devastating overhand right that put him down. Referee Marc Goddard stepped in and waved off the fight immediately.

"He never, ever wanted to die on his shield - always on his sword," Holloway said at the post-fight press conference. "That's why people love 'The Korean Zombie.' That's why I love him. It was an honor to be his last fight."

Holloway, one of the greatest featherweights of all time, picked up his first finish since a doctor's stoppage against Brian Ortega in 2018. It was of the first one-punch knockout victories of his 11-year UFC career. Holloway's eight most recent fights before Saturday all went the distance.

Despite being a heavy underdog, Jung was competitive with Holloway in the first round. He was aggressive and landed some heavy punches. Holloway wobbled Jung in response and stayed a bit busier throughout the rest of the frame.

Holloway nearly finished Jung in the second, dropping him with a big right and then attempting a submission that appeared to be quite tight. Jung managed to escape the chokehold and return to his feet. He continued to trade shots with Holloway, but Holloway was more precise in the stand-up department, often landing counterpunches as Jung walked forward.

The battle earned "Fight of the Night" honors, with Holloway and Jung each taking home an additional $50,000. Holloway now owns the most post-fight bonuses in UFC featherweight history (10).

Holloway has won two in a row after besting Arnold Allen by unanimous decision in the UFC Kansas City main event in April. The 31-year-old is ranked No. 1 in the division, just behind champion Alexander Volkanovski. Holloway dedicated the win to his home country of Hawaii in the wake of the recent devastating wildfires on the island of Maui.

Jung retires after back-to-back stoppage losses. The Pohang, South Korea, native was coming off a fourth-round TKO loss to Volkanovski in an April 2022 title bout.

Jung is an MMA icon, having been a UFC featherweight contender on and off for more than a decade. The WEC veteran became beloved for his wild fight style, numerous highlights, and respectful nature outside the Octagon.

Jung twice challenged for UFC featherweight gold, also facing Jose Aldo in 2013. Though he was never champion, Jung defeated several notable names throughout his 16-year MMA career like Dustin Poirier, Frankie Edgar, Mark Hominick, Leonard Garcia, and Dennis Bermudez.

"The Korean Zombie" walks away from the sport with a 17-8 pro record.