Photo Courtesy: northeasttoday
Imphal: Manipuri mixed martial artist Chungreng Koren moved one step closer to a UFC contract by defeating Japan's Ryuho Miyaguchi during the Road to UFC Season 5 quarterfinals in Macau on Thursday. Koren secured the win with a rear-naked choke at the four-minute mark of the second round, handing Miyaguchi the first loss of his professional career.
The fight began as a balanced contest. Miyaguchi found success with straight right hands early in the second round, but the momentum shifted when Koren landed a powerful left hand that dropped his opponent. Koren immediately capitalized on the ground, applying sustained pressure and strikes before taking Miyaguchi's back to force the submission.
This victory represents a significant career recovery for Koren, who recently lost his Matrix Fight Night bantamweight title to Nepal's Rabindra Dhant. Koren entered the tournament on short notice as a replacement for South Korea's Shin You-min, who withdrew due to a knee injury. Although he missed the bantamweight weight limit during Wednesday's weigh-ins, he successfully navigated the match to secure his place in the semifinals.
Koren now awaits the winner of the bout between Ryo Tajima and Ti Haitao. Meanwhile, Rabindra Dhant also advanced to the next round after a second-round TKO victory over Kimbert Alintozon. The progression of both fighters keeps the possibility alive for a potential rematch later in the tournament with a UFC contract on the line.
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