Kim Ji-yeon (; born October 18, 1989), often anglicized Ji Yeon Kim, is a South Korean

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

(MMA). She was the Jewels and Gladiator women's bantamweight champion. She competed in the Women's Flyweight division of the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...

Background

Kim was born and raised in

Incheon Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi Province to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, ...

, South Korea. She started training in the 8th grade after seeing a kickboxing match on television, which set off her desire for a career in combat sports. She also wrestled in junior middle school and high school in her native South Korea.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Kim started her professional MMA career in 2013 and fought primarily in South Korea and Japan. Kim acquired a six-fight winning streak and became the Jewels and Gladiator women's bantamweight champion prior to joining the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Kim made her UFC debut on June 17, 2017. Kim faced Lucie Pudilová at UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Correia in Singapore. She lost the fight via unanimous decision. Kim next faced Justine Kish on January 27, 2018, at UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson. She won the fight via split decision. Her third fight came on June 23, 2018, at UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Edwards against Melinda Fábián. She won the fight via split decision. Kim faced Antonina Shevchenko, replacing injured Ashlee Evans-Smith, on November 30, 2018, at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale. At the weigh-ins, Kim weighed in at 130.5 pounds, 4.5 pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit of 126. She was fined 20 percent of her purse, which went to her opponent Shevchenko. The bout proceeded at catchweight. She lost the fight via unanimous decision. Kim faced Nadia Kassem on October 6, 2019, at UFC 243. At the weigh-ins, Kim weighed in at 128 pounds, 2 pound over the flyweight non-title fight limit of 126. Kim was fined 30% of her purse, which went to her opponent Kassem. In a fight where Kassem drew heavy criticism for faking a respectful glove touch to deliver a kick, Kim won the fight via technical knockout in round two. Kim was scheduled to face Sabina Mazo on December 21, 2019, on UFC on ESPN+ 23. However, on November 1, 2019, it was reported that Kim was forced to pull from the event due to undisclosed injury. Kim was scheduled to face Alexa Grasso on June 27, 2020, at UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker. However, due to travel restrictions for both fighters due to

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, the bout was rescheduled on August 29, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 175. She lost the fight via unanimous decision. Kim was scheduled to face Poliana Botelho on May 1, 2021, at UFC on ESPN 23. However, Kim pulled out of the fight on March 22 citing injury and was replaced by Mayra Bueno Silva. Kim faced Molly McCann on September 4, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 191. She lost the fight via unanimous decision. The back-and-forth bout won both contestants the '' Fight of the Night'' bonus award. Kim was scheduled to face Poliana Botelho on January 22, 2022, at

UFC 270 ''UFC 270: Ngannou vs. Gane'' was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on January 22, 2022, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Background A UFC Heavyweight Championship title unificat ...

, but Botelho pulled out instead and the pairing was scrapped. Kim faced

Priscila Cachoeira Priscila Cachoeira Gomes da Silva (born 19 August 1988) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the women's Flyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Personal life Cachoeira had a troubled childhood growing ...

on February 26, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 202. She lost the bout via controversial unanimous decision. 14 out of 15 media scored Kim as the winner of the fight. Along with Cachoeira, Kim was awarded the '' Fight of the Night'' bonus award; her second overall. Kim was scheduled to face Mariya Agapova at UFC 277 on July 30, 2022. However, Agapova was forced out of the fight due to knee injury and she was replaced by Joselyne Edwards. She lost the fight via split decision. Kim was scheduled to face Mandy Böhm on February 4, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 218. However, Böhm was forced to withdraw before the event start due to illness and the bout was cancelled. The pair was rebooked for UFC on ABC 4. Kim lost the fight via a split technical decision (27–28, 28–27, 28–27) after receiving two separate point deductions for fouls, the second of which resulted in the fight being stopped part way through the third round after Böhm could no longer continue. After the loss, it was reported on May 16 that Kim was no longer on the UFC roster.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

** Fight of the Night (Two times) **Tied ( Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Cynthia Calvillo, Marion Reneau & Istela Nunes) for the second longest losing streak in UFC Women's history (5) *

Jewels (mixed martial arts) Jewels (styled JEWELS in capitals) is a mixed martial arts organization owned by Marverous Japan Co., Ltd., focused on Women's mixed martial arts, female fighters. It is the direct successor of Smackgirl. It has a working relationship with fellow ...

** Jewels Bantamweight Champion (One time) vs.

Takayo Hashi Takayo Hashi (端貴代 ''Hashi Takayo'', born October 2, 1977) is a Japanese female mixed martial artist. Biography Hashi observed her brother grappling and competing in mixed martial arts and this inspired her to compete as well. She joined t ...

* Gladiator ** Gladiator Bantamweight Champion (One time) vs. Miki Miyauchi

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 9–7–2 , Mandy Böhm , Technical Decision (split) , UFC on ABC: Rozenstruik vs. Almeida , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 1:55 ,

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 United ...

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 6–1–2 , Lucie Pudilová , Decision (unanimous) , UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Correia , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Singapore , , - , Win , align=center, 6–0–2 , Tao Li , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Top FC 13 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:30 ,

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, South Korea , , - , Win , align=center, 5–0–2 , Jin Tang , Decision (unanimous) , Kunlun Fight: Cage Fight Series 5 / Top FC 11 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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, South Korea , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0–2 , Miki Miyauchi , TKO (knees and punches) , Gladiator 81 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:18 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0–2 , Yukimi Kamikaze , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Road FC 18 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:57 ,

, South Korea , , - , Draw , align=center, 0–0–2 , Takayo Hashi , Draw (unanimous) , Road FC: Korea vs. Japan , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, South Korea , , - , Draw , align=center, 0–0–1 , Shizuka Sugiyama , Draw (Majority) , Deep: Cage Impact 2013 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

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References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Ji Yeon Living people 1989 births Flyweight mixed martial artists South Korean hapkido practitioners South Korean practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Female Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners South Korean female mixed martial artists Bantamweight mixed martial artists South Korean sanshou practitioners Martial artists from Incheon Ultimate Fighting Championship female fighters Mixed martial artists utilizing sanshou Mixed martial artists utilizing hapkido Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu 21st-century South Korean sportswomen