South Korean featherweight Joo Sang Yoo is a Brave CF and ROAD FC alum who is making the jump straight to the big leagues at UFC 316, bypassing Dana White’s Contender Series. The Ultimate Fighter, and even the Road to UFC tournament, instead turning up on Dana White’s Lookin’ for a Fight. Yoo will make his debut opposite Jeka Saragih on the preliminary card on Saturday night.
Joo Sang Yoo
Standing at five-foot-seven
Fighting at 145 lbs (featherweight)
31-years-old
Fighting out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
Training out of Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, South Korea
A pro record of 8-0
3 KO/TKOs, 1 Submission
Distance striking: B+
Clinch work: B
Movement/footwork: B
Power striking: C+
Striking defense: C
Wrestling in space: C+
Cage wrestling: C+
Takedown defense: B+
Defensive grappling: B-
Top control: C
Ground and pound: C+
Submissions: F
Endurance: B+
Yoo earned his UFC contract with an impressive performance on an episode of Dana White’s Lookin’ for a Fight. He brings real finishing potential and a bold, flashy presence in the cage that makes him exciting to watch. At times, the showboating goes overboard, but it’s part of what helps him stand out.
One of the first things you’ll notice about Yoo is his low hand placement. He keeps his hands at his waist as part of his style, possibly to obscure his strikes or rely more heavily on head movement and footwork to evade punches. When he’s focused, Yoo is a sharp striker. He throws a solid jab and has crisp technique with his straight punches. He’s heavy on feints, often faking the jab or twitching his hips, using multiple layers of deception to draw reactions and capitalize on openings. His leg kicks are solid, and he has a sneaky rear head kick in his arsenal.
However, Yoo has a habit of throwing spinning kicks that rarely land and tend to drain his energy, an area that needs refinement. His success so far has largely come from his ability to figure out opponents’ timing and control range. That said, he can be overly hesitant at times, and his offense can devolve into basic, low-risk striking. When he decides to press the action, though, his hands are sharp, and he shows creativity in his angles, even targeting the body effectively.
Yoo’s takedown defense has been tested and generally holds up. He fights grips well, uses underhooks, and works effectively along the cage. He has been taken down to a knee or his backside but pops back up quickly. Offensively, he’ll occasionally shoot for takedowns or trip the legs in close quarters. He has good instincts in back takes, but more often than not, he disengages and lets opponents back up: he clearly prefers to keep the fight standing. Yoo lacks finishing instincts on the ground and rarely capitalizes when he does get dominant positions.
Overall, Yoo is a talented fighter with real upside, but there are concerns. His striking defense, especially with his hands low, could be a liability against pressure-heavy strikers. There are also lingering questions about his overall fight IQ and willingness to adapt mid-fight. He’s exciting, but his ceiling may be limited unless he tightens up key aspects of his game.
How does he match up against Saragih?
Yoo has a clear path to victory against Saragih if he chooses to wrestle, but that’s not a route he’s shown much interest in taking so far, so it’s uncertain whether he’ll go there in this fight. On the feet, Yoo is the much cleaner and more technical striker. However, if Saragih has one weapon, it’s power. If he’s able to time an overhand over Yoo’s jab, it could spell trouble.
That said, Saragih is a limited fighter overall. I’m confident that Yoo can manage the distance, avoid the big shots, and eventually find a finish as the fight wears on.
