My Fight of the Half-Year: Leonard Garcia vs. The Korean Zombie

We’re seven months into 2010, and now that we’re officially past the half-way point, the annual Fight of the Year debate is beginning to pick up some steam. I like to wait until the year is actually over before firmly committing to a Fight of the Year, but as a concession, here’s what I think is the best fight to happen in 2010 so far, one of the best fights to ever be shown on free TV, in fact. It’s Leonard “Bad Boy” Garcia vs. “The Korean Zombie” Jung Chan Sung, and it’s my “Fight of the Half-Year”.

WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber is a strong contender for Event of the Year, and many have pointed to this fight as one of the key selling points that allowed the first-ever WEC PPV to become a financial success. Simply put: this fight was so good that you just had to order the PPV. It wasn’t a technical masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but it had the two things that guarantee a wild, highly enjoyable brawl: fighters with no quit in them, and the insanity required to stand toe-to-toe and constantly throw bombs.

“The Korean Zombie” lived up to his nickname at WEC 48, making him a star almost instantly. It was bizarre and even a little frightening to see Jung Chan Sung lurching forward, throwing with reckless abandon, and absorbing far more damage than should be humanly possible. Perhaps the craziest thing about his inhuman ability to withstand punishment was his constant ability to inflict it: the fight was by no means just Jung Chan Sung eating fists. The Zombie gave as good as he got, and for every moment where it looked like Sung Jung was in trouble, he would find some way to return the favor, and nearly sent Leonard Garcia into the land of dreams several times.

Chan Sung Jung’s amazing performance at WEC 48 was a pleasant surprise to those that were unfamiliar with him, but I don’t think anyone doubted Leonard Garcia’s heart and willingness to stand and exchange. Despite an up-and-down career in both the UFC and the WEC, Garcia consistently finds a way to steal the show with his guts and determination. Against the Korean Zombie, Garcia put on what was arguably his greatest performance to date.

The fight was marred by some controversy as to who should have won the fight, but I personally jumped out of my seat when Garcia got the nod. As a longtime fan and follower of Garcia, seeing him win after such a brutal war of attrition currently ranks as my number one feel-good MMA moment of 2010. I know how cliché the phrase “nobody lost that fight” has come to be, but that’s honestly how I feel about this one. Both men got a big credibility boost and earned several new fans with such an amazing performance.

I think the best way to describe this fight would be to say that it was beautifully disgusting. The only gameplan either man seemed to have was to stand an arm’s length away from their opponent and swing for the fences. And towards the end of the fight, both men were downright sloppy with their punches. But the reason this fight gets my “Fight of the Half-Year” vote is simple: no sane person would do what these two men did to each other, and for that, these tough Featherweights deserve all the respect in the world. It was one of the best all-out brawls I’ve ever seen. There’s simply no way that this fight won’t entertain you.

So that’s my pick, fans and friends. What are some fights that you think deserve “Fight of the Half-Year” status? And looking forward, what future fights do you think have Fight of the Year potential?