# Ji Yeon Kim (fighter)

Kim Ji-yeon (Korean: 김지연; born October 18, 1989), often anglicized Ji Yeon Kim, is a South Korean mixed martial artist (MMA). She was the Jewels and Gladiator women's bantamweight champion. She competed in the Women's Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

## Background

Kim was born and raised in Incheon, South Korea. She started training in the 8th grade after seeing a kickboxing match on television, which set off her desire for a career in combat sports. She also wrestled in junior middle school and high school in her native South Korea.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

Kim started her professional MMA career in 2013 and fought primarily in South Korea and Japan. Kim acquired a six-fight winning streak and became the Jewels and Gladiator women's bantamweight champion prior to joining the UFC.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Kim made her UFC debut on June 17, 2017. Kim faced Lucie Pudilová at UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Correia in Singapore. She lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Kim next faced Justine Kish on January 27, 2018, at UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson. She won the fight via split decision.
Her third fight came on June 23, 2018, at UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Edwards against Melinda Fábián. She won the fight via split decision.
Kim faced Antonina Shevchenko, replacing injured Ashlee Evans-Smith, on November 30, 2018, at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale. At the weigh-ins, Kim weighed in at 130.5 pounds, 4.5 pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit of 126. She was fined 20 percent of her purse, which went to her opponent Shevchenko. The bout proceeded at catchweight. She lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Kim faced Nadia Kassem on October 6, 2019, at UFC 243. At the weigh-ins, Kim weighed in at 128 pounds, 2 pound over the flyweight non-title fight limit of 126. Kim was fined 30% of her purse, which went to her opponent Kassem. In a fight where Kassem drew heavy criticism for faking a respectful glove touch to deliver a kick, Kim won the fight via technical knockout in round two.
Kim was scheduled to face Sabina Mazo on December 21, 2019, on UFC on ESPN+ 23. However, on November 1, 2019, it was reported that Kim was forced to pull from the event due to undisclosed injury.
Kim was scheduled to face Alexa Grasso on June 27, 2020, at UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker. However, due to travel restrictions for both fighters due to COVID-19 pandemic, the bout was rescheduled on August 29, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 175. She lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Kim was scheduled to face Poliana Botelho on May 1, 2021, at UFC on ESPN 23. However, Kim pulled out of the fight on March 22 citing injury and was replaced by Mayra Bueno Silva.
Kim faced Molly McCann on September 4, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 191. She lost the fight via unanimous decision. The back-and-forth bout won both contestants the Fight of the Night bonus award.
Kim was scheduled to face Poliana Botelho on January 22, 2022, at UFC 270, but Botelho pulled out instead and the pairing was scrapped.
Kim faced Priscila Cachoeira on February 26, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 202. She lost the bout via controversial unanimous decision. 14 out of 15 media scored Kim as the winner of the fight. Along with Cachoeira, Kim was awarded the Fight of the Night bonus award; her second overall.
Kim was scheduled to face Mariya Agapova at UFC 277 on July 30, 2022. However, Agapova was forced out of the fight due to knee injury and she was replaced by Joselyne Edwards. She lost the fight via split decision.
Kim was scheduled to face Mandy Böhm on February 4, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 218. However, Böhm was forced to withdraw before the event start due to illness and the bout was cancelled. The pair was rebooked for UFC on ABC 4. Kim lost the fight via a split technical decision (27–28, 28–27, 28–27) after receiving two separate point deductions for fouls, the second of which resulted in the fight being stopped part way through the third round after Böhm could no longer continue.
After the loss, it was reported on May 16 that Kim was no longer on the UFC roster.

## Championships and accomplishments
### Mixed martial arts

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Molly McCann and Priscila Cachoeira
** Tied (Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Cynthia Calvillo & Marion Reneau) for the second longest losing streak in UFC Women's history (5) (behind Andrea Lee)
* Jewels (mixed martial arts)
** Jewels Bantamweight Champion (One time) vs. Takayo Hashi
* Gladiator
** Gladiator Bantamweight Champion (One time) vs. Miki Miyauchi

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 18 matches | 9 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 2 | 0 |
| By submission | 3 | 0 |
| By decision | 4 | 7 |
| Draws | 2 | 2 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 9–7–2 | Mandy Böhm | Technical Decision (split) | UFC on ABC: Rozenstruik vs. Almeida | May 13, 2023 | 3 | 1:55 | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | Kim was deducted 1 point after round 2 due to striking Böhm after the bell. She was deducted another point in round 3 due to an illegal knee to a grounded opponent which rendered Böhm unable to continue. |
| Loss | 9–6–2 | Joselyne Edwards | Decision (split) | UFC 277 | July 30, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Dallas, Texas, United States | Bantamweight bout; Edwards missed weight (137.5 lb). |
| Loss | 9–5–2 | Priscila Cachoeira | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Makhachev vs. Green | February 26, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Loss | 9–4–2 | Molly McCann | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till | September 4, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Loss | 9–3–2 | Alexa Grasso | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Rakić | August 29, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 9–2–2 | Nadia Kassem | KO (punches to the body) | UFC 243 | October 6, 2019 | 2 | 4:59 | Melbourne, Australia | Catchweight (128 lb) bout; Kim missed weight. |
| Loss | 8–2–2 | Antonina Shevchenko | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: Heavy Hitters Finale | November 30, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Catchweight (130.5 lb) bout; Kim missed weight. |
| Win | 8–1–2 | Melinda Fábián | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Edwards | June 23, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Kallang, Singapore | |
| Win | 7–1–2 | Justine Kish | Decision (split) | UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson | January 27, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | Flyweight debut. |
| Loss | 6–1–2 | Lucie Pudilová | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Correia | June 17, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Kallang, Singapore | |
| Win | 6–0–2 | Tao Li | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Top FC 13 | November 5, 2016 | 2 | 1:30 | Seoul, South Korea | |
| Win | 5–0–2 | Jin Tang | Decision (unanimous) | Kunlun Fight: Cage Fight Series 5 / Top FC 11 | May 22, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Seoul, South Korea | Catchweight (131 lb) bout. |
| Win | 4–0–2 | Takayo Hashi | Decision (unanimous) | Deep Jewels 9 | August 29, 2015 | 3 | 5;00 | Tokyo, Japan | Won the Jewels Women's Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 3–0–2 | Hatice Ozyurt | Submission (armbar) | Road FC 23 | May 2, 2015 | 2 | 1:14 | Seoul, South Korea | Catchweight (138.2 lb) bout; Ozyurt missed weight. |
| Win | 2–0–2 | Miki Miyauchi | TKO (knees and punches) | Gladiator 81 | March 1, 2015 | 2 | 0:18 | Tokyo, Japan | Won the Gladiator Women’s Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 1–0–2 | Yukimi Kamikaze | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Road FC 18 | August 30, 2014 | 1 | 1:57 | Seoul, South Korea | Catchweight (132 lb) bout. |
| Draw | 0–0–2 | Takayo Hashi | Draw (unanimous) | Road FC: Korea vs. Japan | March 9, 2014 | 2 | 5:00 | Seoul, South Korea | |
| Draw | 0–0–1 | Shizuka Sugiyama | Draw (Majority) | Deep: Cage Impact 2013 | November 24, 2013 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Bantamweight debut. |