Screaming South Korean teenager ‘Ottogi Girl’ lights up the UFC
A potential star rises in defeat as ladies steal the show at UFC Japan
Chan Mi “Ottogi Girl” Jeon has won the hearts of MMA fans across the globe with the wild screams the South Korean uses to will herself into battle.
On Saturday at the Saitama Super Arena, the just-turned 20-year-old faced Syuri Kondo, at 28 years old and making her Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut after a decade in combat sports that saw her crowned a wrestling, kick boxing and MMA champion in Japan.
Chan let out a shrill yelp straight from the playbook of tennis star Maria Sharapova with each punch she threw and there were plenty of those throughout the fight, even though the judges called it a split decision to the more experience Korean fighter in the end. The young Korean’s reaction was to let out a cry of anguish before she fells to her knees and pounded the mat in disappointment.
He record in the UFC now stands at 0-2 but fans have warmed to Chan’s emotion and to the young fighter’s courage with leading website MMAJunkie picking up on clips from the fight, which was on the undercard of UFC Fight Night: Saint Preux v Okami.
Chan’s love for the fight game was first showcased to the world earlier in the year when, after going on an unbeaten 5-0 win streak – highlighted by four first-round knockouts – with South Korea’s domestic organisations, she answered a call to fight on the UFC Fight Night 111 card on just one week’s notice.
In Auckland, New Zealand, Chan faced 25-year-old American J.J. Aldrich (5-2) and pushed her all the way also before losing by unanimous decision.
Chan’s fight was on the undercard of an event that saw one of the best fights in the history of women’s MMA when Brazil’s Jessica Andrade (17-6) took a unanimous decision over compatriot Claudia Gadelha (15-3) in their strawweight clash after a three-round battle royale.