Chungreng Koren from India made a strong debut in the fifth season of Road to UFC, achieving a decisive finish against Japan’s Ryuho Miyaguchi despite facing pre-fight hurdles.
Competing on short notice, Koren, nicknamed “The Indian Rhino,” entered the bantamweight tournament under challenging conditions. He initially missed weight by 3.5 pounds, weighing in at 139.5 pounds. Miyaguchi, however, agreed to proceed with the bout at a 140-pound catchweight, with Koren forfeiting 30 percent of his fight purse as part of the arrangement.
Despite the difficult build-up, the former Matrix Fight Night champion delivered a memorable performance in the opening round of the tournament.
The first round was closely contested, but Miyaguchi seemed to gain the upper hand early in the second, landing several precise straight right punches as he found his striking rhythm. However, Koren mounted a significant comeback.
The second round quickly became dominated by Chungreng Koren, who landed a powerful left hand that knocked down Miyaguchi, completely altering the fight’s momentum.
Koren followed up with a barrage of strikes on the ground before securing his opponent’s back and locking in a rear-naked choke. The official stoppage occurred at 4:00 of the second round.
This victory improves Chungreng Koren’s professional record to 8-2, with six of his wins now coming by way of finish.
English Translation
India’s Chungreng Koren kicked off the fifth season of Road to UFC in dramatic fashion, overcoming adversity both before and during the fight to score a statement finish against Japan’s Ryuho Miyaguchi.
Competing on short notice, “The Indian Rhino” entered the bantamweight tournament under difficult circumstances after missing weight by 3.5 pounds, tipping the scales at 139.5 pounds. Miyaguchi ultimately agreed to move forward with the matchup at a 140-pound catchweight, with Koren surrendering 30 percent of his purse as part of the agreement.
Despite the rocky lead-up, the former Matrix Fight Night champion delivered one of the most memorable performances of the opening round of the tournament.
The opening round was competitive, but Miyaguchi appeared to take control early in the second, landing several sharp straight right hands as he found his rhythm on the feet. But Koren responded in a huge way.
However, the second round soon became mostly one-way traffic as Chungreng Koren blasted Miyaguchi with a powerful left hand that dropped the Japanese fighter and completely shifted the momentum.
Koren swarmed with strikes on the ground before taking the back and securing a rear-naked choke. The official stoppage came at the 4:00 mark of Round 2.
The victory pushes Chungreng Koren’s record to 8-2 as a professional, with six wins now coming by finish.