Korea’s top striker who beat the 8th Road FC middleweight champion Hwang In-soo and Myung Hyun-man, Korea’s 3rd Contender Series UFC CEO, has a 37% chance of passing if he auditions for the 37% chance. Middleweight will rise to 74.7% for the first time in DWCS Korean history. Paddy McCory of Ireland replaced UFC reality program TUF Season 32 Paddy McCory Middleweight Tournament Semifinal

There was a variable in the South Korean MMA champion’s challenge to advance to the global No. 1 organization by driving the momentum of keeping the top of the country. As previously reported by MK Sports, the match will be changed. The date remains unchanged.

Hwang In-soo (31), the 8th Road FC middleweight (84kg), will play the sixth week of the season of the Contender Series at the Enterprise UFC Apex in Nevada on September 17 (Korean time). Korean Zombie Jung Chan-sung (38) announced a matchup with Will Curry (27, England) on his personal YouTube channel on May 21.

8th Road FC Middleweight Champion Hwang In-soo, UFC reality program The Ultimate Fighter Season 32 Middleweight Tournament Semi-Final Paddy McCory. Photo =ZFN/Cage Warriors Profile 사진 확대 8th Road FC Middleweight Champion Hwang In-soo, UFC reality program The Ultimate Fighter Season 32 Middleweight Tournament Semi-Final Paddy McCory. Photo =ZFN/Cage Warriors Profile Dana White, chairman and CEO, is interviewing UFC broadcaster ESPN on the 7th week of the Enterprise Contender Series season 67, Nevada, U.S., in June 2022. Photo = TKO 사진 확대 Dana White, chairman and CEO, is interviewing UFC broadcaster ESPN on the 7th week of the Enterprise Contender Series season 67, Nevada, U.S., in June 2022. Photo = TKO

UFC President and CEO Dana White (56, USA) launched the Contender Series (DWCS) in 2017 to find prospects in person. However, at 1:23 a.m. on July 21, 2025, Cedric Dumas of Canada said, “Paddy McCory (28, Ireland) will take on Hwang In-soo in place of Will Curry.”

Will Curry said at 11:33 p.m. on July 20, “We’re getting a lot of SNS messages asking why you’re out of DWCS this season. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a U.S. visa. I look forward to finding new opportunities,” he said, explaining that he couldn’t fight with Hwang In-soo.

Cedric Dumas of French-speaking Quebec, Canada, is a mixed martial arts source who has stood out since the fourth quarter of 2023, including the world’s first unveiling of Ko Seok-hyun (32) Contender Series Season 84th Week and Hwang In-soo’s Season 96th Week.

Hwang In-soo, the 8th Road FC middleweight champion, will participate in the 96th week of the UFC's Dana White-hosted competition, the Contender Series. Photo = MCPECC 사진 확대 Hwang In-soo, the 8th Road FC middleweight champion, will participate in the 96th week of the UFC’s Dana White-hosted competition, the Contender Series. Photo = MCPECC Paddy McCory was listed as a middleweight (185lbs=84kg) on the UFC Fight Pass roster in July 2025. On behalf of Will Curry, he will face Hwang In-soo in Week 96 of the Contender Series, a competition directly selected by UFC President and CEO Dana White. Photo = TKO 사진 확대 Paddy McCory was listed as a middleweight (185lbs=84kg) on the UFC Fight Pass roster in July 2025. On behalf of Will Curry, he will face Hwang In-soo in Week 96 of the Contender Series, a competition directly selected by UFC President and CEO Dana White. Photo = TKO

MK Sports has been exchanging information since the first quarter of 2025. Cedric Dumas also helped that “Paddy McCory was added to the UFC Fight Pass roster on July 19 as a middleweight and could compete against Hwang In-soo in DWCS Season 9 on behalf of Will Curry.”

UFC Fight Pass is a global OTT broadcast to more than 200 countries around the world and is in charge of live broadcasts of the Contender Series and Asian talent discovery project Road to UFC.

Paddy McCory is a semifinalist for the Ultimate Fighter 32 middleweight tournament. UFC reality program TUF Season 32 was produced in March 2024 and aired on US sports channel ESPN and 24.1 million subscribers on OTT service ESPN+ in June.

24.1 million subscribers. UFC reality program The Ultimate Fighter season 32 middleweight tournament Paddy McCory, promoted by ESPN+ as a press release. Photo = TKO 사진 확대 24.1 million subscribers. UFC reality program The Ultimate Fighter season 32 middleweight tournament Paddy McCory, promoted by ESPN+ as a press release. Photo = TKO European rankings of mixed martial arts competition players size 사진 확대 European rankings of mixed martial arts competition players size

The fact that the mixed martial arts ranking system “Fight Matrix” middleweight career high is in the second quarter of 2024 is an overlap with Will Curry.

Paddy McCory has been 4-1 for the Cage Warriors since 2022. Getting 56 points for “Fight Matrix” is now in the UFC middleweight 56th and top 86.2%.

There is a limit to The Ultimate Fighter being recognized only as an exhibition match, not an official professional match, but passing the quarter-final in a UFC-hosted middleweight tournament is Paddy McCory’s worthy career compared to Will Curry, who lost one of the Contender Series.

UFC reality program The Ultimate Fighter season 32 middleweight tournament Paddy McCory. Photo = TKO 사진 확대 UFC reality program The Ultimate Fighter season 32 middleweight tournament Paddy McCory. Photo = TKO

Paddy McCory defeated Marc Alexander Wheelmer (31, South Africa) in two ACA matches with his bare hands 3:19 into the quarterfinals of The Ultimate Fighter season 32. Russia’s ACA is the world’s largest minor league with 320 people ranked in the “Fight Matrix” world.

Hwang In-soo became the 8th Road FC middleweight champion in July 2021 and succeeded in defending the title in March 2025. Jung Moon-hong (51), chairman of the Korea MMA General Association, approved the UFC challenge, saying, “Even if I come down from the throne and leave on my own because I want to terminate the contract, I have done well enough.”

Z-Fight Night 2, held at 7A Hall of KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do in December 2024, was broadcast live to more than 200 countries around the world through UFC Fight Pass. Hwang In-soo won 2-1 over Kim Han-seul (35), a one-match player in the Road to UFC season 1 to 3 welterweight (77kg).

Korean Zombie CEO Jung Chan-sung announced his participation in the 96th week of the season of the Contender Series through his YouTube channel in May 2025. CEO Jung Chan-sung explains to Hwang In-soo how he talked to UFC. Photo by @koreanzombie Video Screen 사진 확대 Korean Zombie CEO Jung Chan-sung announced his participation in the 96th week of the season of the Contender Series through his YouTube channel in May 2025. CEO Jung Chan-sung explains to Hwang In-soo how he talked to UFC. Photo by @koreanzombie Video Screen Hwang In-soo is aiming for an attack opportunity after driving Kim Han-seul into a cage at the 7A Hall Z-Fight Night 2 main event at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, in December 2024. ZFN 2 was broadcast live to more than 200 countries around the world through the global OTT service UFC Fight Pass. Photo = MCPECC 사진 확대 Hwang In-soo is aiming for an attack opportunity after driving Kim Han-seul into a cage at the 7A Hall Z-Fight Night 2 main event at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, in December 2024. ZFN 2 was broadcast live to more than 200 countries around the world through the global OTT service UFC Fight Pass. Photo = MCPECC

Jung Chan-sung retired from active duty in August 2023 after playing as a Korean all-time No. 1 mixed martial artist in two UFC featherweight (66 kg) title matches. Since April 2013, he has been the leader of the “Korean Zombie MMA” gym and since June 2024, he has also been the head of the mixed martial arts group ZFN.

Hwang In-soo’s 41 points in the middleweight division are his personal best in the “Fight Matrix” since his debut. Compared to Paddy McCory’s golden age, he is 26.8% inferior. Hwang In-soo is three years old, but he started a year late. McCory is in his 10th year of mixed martial arts.

Paddy McCory (17 times) played 1.89 times more in official games than Hwang In-soo (9 times). McCory boasts an unbeaten KO, but losing twice because of submission is a flaw.

Hwang In-soo, the 8th Road FC middleweight champion, hits provisional champion Lim Dong-hwan in the unified title match at Jangchung Gymnasium in Jung-gu, Seoul, in March 2025. Photo = Reporter Chun Jung-hwan 사진 확대 Hwang In-soo, the 8th Road FC middleweight champion, hits provisional champion Lim Dong-hwan in the unified title match at Jangchung Gymnasium in Jung-gu, Seoul, in March 2025. Photo = Reporter Chun Jung-hwan Hwang In-soo, the 8th Road FC middleweight champion, is attacking Lim Dong-hwan, the provisional champion, in the unified title match at Jangchung Gymnasium in Jung-gu, Seoul, in March 2025. Photo = Reporter Chun Jung-hwan 사진 확대 Hwang In-soo, the 8th Road FC middleweight champion, is attacking Lim Dong-hwan, the provisional champion, in the unified title match at Jangchung Gymnasium in Jung-gu, Seoul, in March 2025. Photo = Reporter Chun Jung-hwan

Hwang In-soo’s KO win rate of 75% (6/8) is a representative advantage. There was only one KO loss and never lost by submission. Paddy McCory is balanced with 5KO wins and 4 submission wins.

The Contender series aired 384 games of 768 people (including duplicates) to viewers in front of Dana White himself. A total of 287 people were selected, including Ko Seok-hyun (32, HVAS). The probability of entering the UFC in the Contender Series increases to 37.4% and 74.7% if they win.

Yoo Sang-hoon (34, Daegu Metropolitan City Hall), a silver medalist in Wushu Santa at the 17th Incheon Summer Asian Games, participated as a lightweight (70kg) in the 10th week of the 2019 season.

Yu Sang-hoon, a Wushu Santa silver medalist at the 17th Incheon Asian Games, attacks in August 2019 in a lightweight match in the 10th week of the Contender Series season 3, a promising competition hosted by UFC President and CEO Dana White. Photo = TKO 사진 확대 Yu Sang-hoon, a Wushu Santa silver medalist at the 17th Incheon Asian Games, attacks in August 2019 in a lightweight match in the 10th week of the Contender Series season 3, a promising competition hosted by UFC President and CEO Dana White. Photo = TKO Ko Seok-hyun is thrilled when he was notified of his UFC contract by Dana White, chairman and CEO, after winning the welterweight in the 84th week of the Nevada Enterprise Contender Series season in September 2024. Photo = TKO 사진 확대 Ko Seok-hyun is thrilled when he was notified of his UFC contract by Dana White, chairman and CEO, after winning the welterweight in the 84th week of the Nevada Enterprise Contender Series season in September 2024. Photo = TKO

Ko Seok-hyun, an 82kg gold medalist in the Combat category at the 41st FIAS World Championships, entered the UFC in September 2024 with a unanimous decision victory in the welterweight (77kg) in the fourth week of the eighth season of the Contender Series.

“Sambo” is a Russian martial art that feels like a mixture of judo and wrestling, and “Kombat” is the most similar three-bo event to mixed martial arts. Ko Seok-hyun is also the first to compete in the main event of the Contender Series.

The confrontation with Paddy McCory, not Will Curry, is also the biggest big match of his life for Hwang In-soo. Attention is focusing on whether the Korean Contender Series No. 3 fighter can become a UFC fighter with a performance that satisfies Dana White.

Hwang In-soo stands on the cage and watches the crowd after winning the 7A Hall Z-Fight Night 2 main event 2-1 at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, in December 2024. ZFN 2 was broadcast live to more than 200 countries around the world through the global OTT service UFC Fight Pass. Photo = MCPECC 사진 확대 Hwang In-soo stands on the cage and watches the crowd after winning the 7A Hall Z-Fight Night 2 main event 2-1 at KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2 in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, in December 2024. ZFN 2 was broadcast live to more than 200 countries around the world through the global OTT service UFC Fight Pass. Photo = MCPECC Hwang In-soo gestures as no big deal after winning a first-round punch KO at Road FC 56 in Jinnam Gymnasium in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, in November 2019. Photo = Reporter Kim Young-gu 사진 확대 Hwang In-soo gestures as no big deal after winning a first-round punch KO at Road FC 56 in Jinnam Gymnasium in Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, in November 2019. Photo = Reporter Kim Young-gu

Hwang In-soo Fighter Major Career

# mixed martial arts

2017~ 8 wins and 1 loss

KO/TKO 6 wins and 1 loss

Submission, 0 to 0

Road FC Champions 2021

Hwang In-soo, the 8th middleweight champion, speaks at a press conference on Road FC 72 at the Grand Hotel Seoul Convention Center in Switzerland in February 2025. Photograph = World Martial Arts Sports Association 사진 확대 Hwang In-soo, the 8th middleweight champion, speaks at a press conference on Road FC 72 at the Grand Hotel Seoul Convention Center in Switzerland in February 2025. Photograph = World Martial Arts Sports Association Hwang In-soo (left), the 8th Road FC middleweight champion, greets Jung Moon-hong, president of the Korea MMA General Association, after becoming the unified champion and succeeding in the first defense of the title at Jangchung Gymnasium in Jung-gu, Seoul, in March 2025. Photograph = World Martial Arts Sports Association 사진 확대 Hwang In-soo (left), the 8th Road FC middleweight champion, greets Jung Moon-hong, president of the Korea MMA General Association, after becoming the unified champion and succeeding in the first defense of the title at Jangchung Gymnasium in Jung-gu, Seoul, in March 2025. Photograph = World Martial Arts Sports Association

Road FC first defense in 2025

2025 Contender Series (scheduled)

# Kickboxing

2023 vs. Myung Hyunman TKO wins

Paddy McCory MMA career

2016~ 12 wins and 5 losses

professional 6 wins and 1 loss

One win and one loss at the demonstration

I think it’s 5 wins and 3 losses

KO/TKO 5-0 defeat

Submission, 4 wins and 2 losses

Akuma FC welterweight champion

Cage Conflict Middleweight Champion

Cage Warriors 4승 1패

TUF Season 32 Middleweight Semifinals

[Kang Daeho, MK Sports Reporter]