Confidence Runneth Over

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Confidence is not a problem for undefeated Korean prospect Dae Hwan Kim.

Kim will challenge Bibiano Fernandes for the One Fighting Championship bantamweight crown in the One FC 23 “Warrior’s Way” main event on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. The 23-year-old believes he will defeat the incumbent champion and thinks he can do so inside the Brazilian’s comfort zone.

“I have better striking skills, stamina and power,” Kim told Sherdog.com. “He is a jiu-jitsu legend, but this fight is MMA. I can make another submission victory over him.”

The magnitude of the opportunity before him has not been lost on Kim.

“One FC is one of the four biggest MMA organizations in the world, and my opponent is a top five bantamweight fighter, so it means a lot to take the champion’s belt,” he said. “I have long dreamed of it. This is a big event where I can be really famous by defeating him.”

Already well-known as one of the hottest prospects going at 135 pounds in Southeast Asia, Kim’s regional success caught the attention of the biggest MMA promotions in the world, and about a year ago, he had to make a difficult decision between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and One FC.

“Several weeks before signing [with] One FC, I was contacted by the UFC, but they wanted me to win several times more,” Kim said. “After agonizing, I had decided to sign [with] One FC. The UFC contacted me right after that. I thought I might go to the UFC, but I had already agreed [to] my contract. One FC told me that they are going to make me a superstar, and I tried to keep my engagement with One FC.”

Kim’s professional career began inside his native South Korea, where he earned titles in the Korean All MMA Association and Daehan MMA Federation before turning his eyes to greener pastures. He fought once for Korea’s highest-profile organization, Road Fighting Championship, but did not want to settle down at home. Kim holds a victory over current Road FC bantamweight champion Nam Jin Jo.

“Road FC wanted to make a contract with me,” Kim said. “The problem was I wasn’t satisfied with a [promotion] held in Korea. I wanted to make a contract with major organizations since I thought I can be a champion of those organizations; so I fought in Japan, without making any contract.”

It was a wise decision, as Kim gained invaluable international exposure and experience. His arrival in One FC proved even more challenging.

“Though none of them made me dead tired, all of my opponents were great; but I can tell you my most unforgettable fight,” Kim said. “It was my One FC debut. I had wasted my time [deciding on] a contract between One FC and the UFC, so I had to compete without having a training [camp] and taking a break for two to three weeks.”

Kim won the bout against Thanh Vu, submitting the Vietnamese fighter with a second-round rear-naked choke. He made an even bigger splash in his second One FC appearance, as he tapped Kevin Belingon with a rear-naked choke 4:39 into their clash. Kim credits much of his success to his brother, an undefeated welterweight.

“When I finished my military service in January 2008, I started training MMA in Dae Ryeong Kim’s gym,” he said. “When I was training MMA for the first time, I learned muay Thai. My brother taught me almost everything [about] MMA, and now we are studying together what we don’t already know for sure.”

Compared to Fernandes, Kim is a baby in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Nonetheless, Kim is supremely confident in his training at the Kukje Gym-Ryeong Promotion camp.

“Until now, we’ve cross-trained with other teams only three times,” he said. “It is the best place for me to train, and I am really satisfied with it. I usually train with my brother and other teammates. In the near future, you will see many other great fighters from my gym.”

Kim believes the skills he has learned from his brother and honed with his teammates give him the tools necessary to dethrone Fernandes. However, he has other plans beyond winning the One FC bantamweight title. One Fighting Championship and the Ultimate Fighting Championship have expressed interest in promoting shows South Korea, and Kim wants to be at the forefront of those efforts.

“I can’t imagine those organizations holding events in Korea,” he said. “If that happens, MMA can gain much more attention from the Korean fans and media. The MMA market will grow in every aspect, and many prospective fighters are going to sign with One FC. People will respect fighters, and MMA will become a more famous sport.

“What I want to tell you is this is just a beginning, since I want to conquer two weight divisions in the future,” Kim added. “When I become a champion, I think I deserve it. One FC is thinking of holding an event in Korea, and I think I can be a plus factor because One FC can hold a more promising event when there is a Korean champion.”