'Yoo Jiu-jitsu' Yoo Su-young targets third UFC win, vows to prove Korean fighters' worth

"Korean fighters are absolutely not weak. This week, I will show everyone just how strong a Korean fighter can be."

Yoo Su-young (30), the Black Combat Official Gym fighter nicknamed "Yoo Jiu-jitsu," is looking to bounce back from his first UFC defeat and claim a third victory. Despite growing skepticism about Korean fighters' competitiveness following a string of recent losses, Yoo said he intends to answer his critics inside the cage.

Yoo is scheduled to face Cody Kobantek (28, Canada) in a bantamweight bout at UFC Fight Night in Edmonton, Canada, on Saturday (Korean Standard Time).

Yoo departed for Canada on Saturday and set up a training camp there. In a video interview conducted Wednesday via Zoom, he discussed the reasons behind his first loss, his preparation for the upcoming fight, and his thoughts on the competitiveness of Korean fighters on the UFC roster.

After winning his first two UFC bouts, Yoo suffered his first defeat in March, when Elijah Smith submitted him with a rear-naked choke. The loss was particularly jarring given that Yoo holds a jiu-jitsu black belt and was beaten by submission — his own specialty — in a grappling exchange.

Yoo pointed to his mental state rather than any technical shortcoming as the root cause of the defeat. "My mindset was off from the very start of the fight," he said. "More than wondering how I lost, I was shocked and kept asking myself, 'Why did I let this happen?'"

He added that a lack of focus during training had carried over into the bout itself. "The techniques I had prepared worked fine, but I couldn't concentrate during the training camp leading up to the fight. Even when I was in a dominant position, I had this complacent thought that I just wanted it to be over quickly," he said. "For about three months after the fight, I kept regretting why I had done that."

In preparing for this fight, Yoo said he focused on strengthening his mental fortitude — treating every moment in training as if it were a real fight and refusing to give up even when conditions got tough.

"I realized I cannot afford to let my guard down for even a second," he said. "The harder things got mentally, the more I pushed myself to train at a higher intensity to overcome it. Last time, I felt a lot of pressure not to lose. Now, I actually feel at ease."

His opponent, Kobantek, is an undefeated prospect with a 9-0 record making his UFC debut. Fighting in front of a home crowd in Canada, Kobantek will be looking to start his UFC career with a win. He has also taken a playful jab at Yoo, punning on Yoo's surname to suggest he will put "you" to sleep.

Yoo fired back. "I thought, he's got some nerve," he said. "But isn't it going to be you lying down before I go to sleep?"

He was also candid about the threat Kobantek poses. "A 9-0 record speaks for itself in terms of fundamentals," Yoo said. "He's a pressure fighter in boxing — he just keeps walking forward and doesn't go down easily. His grappling is solid too, and he's good at escaping dangerous situations."

Yoo said he would need to be competitive in every area for the full 15 minutes. "I haven't shown a finish in the UFC yet. This time, on the world stage, I want to put my grappling on full display," he said.

Yoo said the away-game atmosphere does not weigh on him. "I've fought in hostile territory before — in China and Kazakhstan. This is fine," he said. "I think it'll really sink in once I'm inside the cage and see how many Canadian fans are there."

With this bout, Yoo will have just one fight remaining on his current UFC contract. He sees a win over Kobantek as the springboard for a new deal.

Becoming a father has also shifted his perspective. "I train harder and take better care of my body because I want to be a dad my son can be proud of, even for just a moment," he said. "Even when it's tough, I want to show him I'm not struggling. I want to win and take my family on a trip, buy them something delicious."

Yoo was firm when asked about the negative perception surrounding Korean UFC fighters' recent struggles. "Fights don't always go your way — you can be on a losing streak and then start winning, or be winning and then lose," he said. "I'm not affected by other fighters' results. Korean fighters are absolutely not weak."

Meanwhile, Yoo departed through Incheon International Airport on Saturday. He was accompanied by Black Combat Official Gym head coach Choi Hyo-jun, nicknamed "Yoo Ajeossi," and Park Eo-jin, nicknamed "Young Boss," a Black Combat lightweight title contender.