To say UFC newcomer Denis Kang is “well-traveled” would be a major understatement. By the age of 11, Kang had lived in three countries in two continents and spoke four different languages. The term “overachiever” might be a more fitting label for the successful 31-year-old middleweight veteran as he has continued to evolve as a fighter, winning him the respect of MMA fans and pundits alike who have sung his praises for the majority of his mixed martial arts career.
Not bad for a guy who admits that at one time he had reservations about becoming a professional fighter.
“I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to do as far as my career was concerned. I figured I would do something that utilized my linguistic skills, like a translator or something. I didn’t know if I wanted to be a professional fighter because I was intimidated,” recalls Kang. “If you look at the guys who were fighting in the UFC tournaments back then, they were all older and they were like martial arts grand masters or Olympic wrestlers. The only young guys like me that I could relate to were guys like Jerry Bohlander and Vitor Belfort.”
The eldest of two brothers, Kang was born 16 miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada on the French colonized archipelago of Saint Pierre and Miquelon where he spent the first decade of his life in an idyllic Hemingwayesque village. Although there is nothing particularly remarkable about the island or its locale, the improbable story of how his parents, who were from opposite ends of the world, met, fell in love and started a family has all the makings of a Hollywood movie. It’s because of his parents' influence, Kang says, that he’s always been eager to openly accept all odds stacked against him.
“My parents really met by accident. My dad was a merchant marine from Korea and was on a port of call on Saint Pierre when he got sick with appendicitis. My mother was a nurse at the hospital there and she took care of him after his operation,” explains Kang. “He never returned to his ship. Instead he stayed to be with my mom. They got married and had me and my brother and the rest is history. It’s a pretty amazing story that makes you think anything is possible.”
Following a brief stay in the Canary Islands, when Denis was 11 the Kangs packed up and journeyed back across the Atlantic in search of a better life in Vancouver, British Columbia. A thriving metropolis of nearly a half million people in 1988, Vancouver was far removed from the other islands they had lived on, especially Saint Pierre and Miquelon whose population was less than 6,000.
Having spoken French since he was a toddler, Denis had picked up Spanish quickly in the Canary Islands due to its lexical similarities to his native tongue. Overcoming the daunting task of learning English upon his arrival in Canada was not as easy. Although he admits there were times he wanted to give up, Kang says that the experience taught him the importance of perseverance, keeping an open mind and thinking quickly on his feet. It's a trio of skills that he says has helped him find success in life and in his MMA career.
“It definitely wasn’t easy moving to Canada at first but I learned a lot from it. I didn’t speak a word of English when we first got to Vancouver,” Kang recalls. “It was tough, but it was a really good learning experience that made me adjust quickly. That’s something that’s always stuck with me.”
A lifelong martial artist, Denis studied judo and tae kwon do as a child before shifting his focus to wrestling in high school but he says that he never took training seriously until he saw a video of a UFC event in 1995.
“I was a normal kid – a bit of a rebel but I wasn’t into anything crazy. I was into sports – especially combat sports. I saw a tape of the UFC for the first time and that was it, I was hooked,” Kang says. “My first thought was ‘I’m going to do that one day; I’m going to fight for the UFC,’ and here I am.”
The epiphany he experienced from watching that rented tape prompted Denis to devote all of his free time to training. Unfortunately, his gym options where he lived at the time were limited until the arrival of a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt to Vancouver in 1997. Marcus Soares, a Carlson Gracie Sr. student-turned-instructor, had moved to the area to open the first BJJ school in Canada. Receiving his black belt from his longtime mentor in 2004, Kang takes pride in the fact that he was the first Canadian to be awarded the distinction by Soares.
“I started training in Hapkido, but it was more of a hybrid with a bigger emphasis on grappling. It was the closest thing to MMA at the time,” Kang explains. “Marcus moved to Vancouver a year or two later and I started training with him full time. I got my black belt seven years later and I became his first black belt here. Whenever I’m back home I go to his school to train. We’re still really close.”
Kang’s arduous roundabout journey to the Octagon mirrors that of his childhood voyage to Canada, complete with the hardships, triumphs and tragedies. Despite having his fair share of personal problems in the past few years, Denis was able to maintain his composure and enjoy continued success in Korea and Japan. He became a bona fide superstar in both countries, appearing in several television commercials and dozens of print publications.
Appearances in PRIDE Bushido helped Kang establish himself as one of the most exciting young prospects in the sport. Denis won critical acclaim for his wins over Andrei Semenov, Murilo Rua and Akihiro Gono, but says it was his gutsy split decision loss to Kazuo Misaki that proved the toughest test of his career thus far.
“The fight with Misaki was so grueling. I went into it with a torn biceps and was in so much pain,” Kang says. “I knew I only had two rounds to get through until I could recuperate as long as I needed so I gave it everything I had. It was a tough loss but could have gone either way.”
Kang’s star was rising in the Asian market and he was widely considered Canada’s top middleweight fighter, yet he had never managed to attract a strong following of U.S. fans. In spite of the success he had enjoyed over the past few years, Denis began to wonder if his dreams of fighting in the Octagon would ever materialize. He would soon have his answer.
The fact that he went undefeated for a stretch of 1312 days and 23 fights between 2003 and 2006 and had racked up a solid 24-3-1 (1 NC) record in his last 29 fights, was difficult for UFC matchmaker Joe Silva to ignore. Contract negotiations were initiated this past October, and by November, Denis had signed a new four-fight deal with the promotion he had promised himself he would fight for one day.
Feeling that with his new four-fight deal, his career has come full-circle, Kang is hoping to establish the American fan base that has eluded him up until this point. Ironically, he admits he turned down an opportunity to fulfill his dream and become a household name in the U.S. in 2003. He says he doesn’t regret his decision as he feels he now has staying power that he lacked back then.
“I had an offer to be on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter but I turned it down, which was a huge risk I hoped I wouldn’t regret some day. I hadn’t seen my father in a long time and he had moved back to Korea so I chose to go over there to fight so I could reconnect with him,” Kang explains. “I guess you could say I took the long way around getting to the UFC but I don’t regret it at all. I’m a much better fighter now, I’m more prepared and I’m planning on staying here for a long time. I ‘m going to reinvent myself in the UFC and I’m going to make myself known right away.”
He’ll introduce himself to UFC fans on January 17 when he squares off against Alan “The Talent” Belcher at the O2 in Dublin, Ireland, and Kang says he is expecting less than a hero’s welcome from the Biloxi, Miss. native.
“Belcher is tough. He’s got really good stand-up, but so do I. Of course I want to go for the knockout but I’m ready wherever the fight goes,” asserts Kang. “I think my conditioning is going to play a big part in my performance. My cardio and strength are better than they’ve ever been. I can’t wait. I’m ready to go right now.”
Training with his American Top Team teammates at their Coconut Creek, Florida facility was put on hold for the past year while Kang sorted out a visa issue, which he says is close to being cleared up. Much like the bout of appendicitis that led to his father meeting his mother so many years ago (on an island coincidentally named St-Pierre) Denis says the setback has been a blessing in disguise. After forming a fast friendship with UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, Kang took the fellow Canadian fighter up on an offer to go train with him in Montreal until he is able to return to ATT. He spent the better part of 2008 there.
He credits St-Pierre with helping him get back his passion for the sport that he realized he had lost some time ago. Coming off back-to-back losses when he first made the trek to Quebec, Denis, who is 2-0 since that time, says that his new training partner made him understand what was missing from his training and what it takes to be a true champion.
“Georges has such an incredible work ethic that training with him, you can’t help but get better. He’s helped me get back my desire to fight. We were even in the gym on Christmas day. I know now that to be a champion you can’t get away with putting in less than 100% all the time,” Kang laments. “My last two losses were like a wake-up call for me. They made me realize that the way I approached my fights was all wrong. Before, I would tell myself I was prepared for a fight if I came into it in shape and made weight. I was just going through the motions. I’m so focused and recommitted to training now, I’m going to open a lot of people’s eyes January 17.”
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