Sang Uk Kim Record: 13-4-0

The Road to UFC run

Kim's bid for a UFC contract ran through the promotion's Road to UFC tournament, and his first appearance there was emphatic: a first-round D'Arce choke of the experienced Kazuma Maruyama in May 2023. The momentum hit a wall in August 2023, when he was outpointed over three rounds by Rongzhu, one of the tournament's standouts, in a unanimous-decision loss. Kim refused to let the door close. He regrouped on the regional scene and returned to the Road to UFC bracket, scoring a second-round TKO and a second-round rear-naked choke to fight his way deep into the competition.

The UFC stage

That persistence carried Kim to the Road to UFC final and a place on the UFC 325 card in January 2026, where he met Dom Mar Fan for the lightweight tournament crown. Kim came up short, dropping a unanimous decision over three rounds, but reaching the final of one of the sport's toughest developmental tournaments confirmed his standing as a legitimate prospect. At 13-4, he remains a dangerous, finish-hungry lightweight on the cusp of a full UFC roster spot.

Fighting style

Kim is a true finisher, with a 69% finish rate split almost evenly between his striking and grappling: five of his 13 wins have come by knockout and four by submission. The height and reach he carries for the division let him manage distance and land power shots, while his comfort on the mat — highlighted by that slick D'Arce choke of Maruyama — makes him a constant threat to end fights from any position. Tellingly, all four of his career losses have come by decision, evidence of a chin and toughness that have never been cracked, even if his most polished opponents have edged him on the scorecards.

Career highlights

• Road to UFC finalist — fought through the gauntlet of the Road to UFC lightweight tournament to reach the final against Dom Mar Fan on the UFC 325 stage.
• Never finished — all four career losses have come by decision, with a 69% finish rate of his own underlining a dangerous, well-rounded offensive game.
• From hardship to the spotlight — a former special-forces serviceman who overcame bullying and built a national profile through Korean TV before chasing the UFC dream.