Seokhyeon Ko
Vitals
Height, reach, and career background.
Record
Tap any fight for the breakdown.
LossDEC
UFC Fight Night - Du Plessis vs. Usman
18 Jul 2026
18 Jul 2026
Ko led early and lost it late. He was the more forceful striker through the opening half and defended Lebosnoyani's submission attempts cleanly, but his output dropped away as fatigue set in and Lebosnoyani took over the second and third. The cards read 29-28 across the board against him — his first defeat since 2021.
Key moments
- Took the opening half with the heavier striking and sound submission defence.
- Output faded through rounds two and three as fatigue set in.
- Lost all three cards 29-28 as Lebosnoyani closed strongly.
WinDEC
Opponent: Phil RoweUnanimousR3 5:00
UFC Fight Night: Garcia vs. Onama
1 Nov 2025
1 Nov 2025
Ko out-wrestled Phil Rowe over three rounds for a clear unanimous decision, his second straight UFC win and the one that moved him to 2-0 in the Octagon. As with the Elliott win, it was built on takedowns and control time, not striking volume.
Key moments
- Won a unanimous decision by controlling the grappling exchanges.
- Improved to 2-0 in the UFC with a second straight decision.
- Out-grappled a taller, rangier striker for fifteen minutes.
WinDEC
UFC Fight Night: Hill vs. Rountree Jr.
21 Jun 2025
21 Jun 2025
Ko handed Oban Elliott a unanimous-decision loss in Baku, out-grinding a rangier striker with repeated takedowns and long control stretches. It snapped Elliott's three-fight UFC winning streak and was Ko's first Octagon victory.
Key moments
- Won a unanimous decision by out-wrestling Elliott across three rounds.
- Ended Elliott's three-fight UFC winning streak.
- Marked his first UFC win.
WinDEC
Opponent: Igor CavalcantiUnanimousR3 5:00
Dana White's Contender Series
3 Sep 2024
3 Sep 2024
Ko earned his UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series with a unanimous decision over the previously undefeated Igor Cavalcanti, leaning on the takedown-and-control formula that would define his Octagon run.
Key moments
- Beat the undefeated Cavalcanti by unanimous decision.
- Won a UFC contract on the Contender Series.
- Advanced on the strength of his wrestling.
WinKO/TKO
Opponent: Alwin KincaiR1 0:58
AFC 29
8 Dec 2023
8 Dec 2023
Ko needed less than a minute to stop Alwin Kincai at AFC 29, one of six regional knockouts that gave rise to the 'Korean Tyson' nickname before his game turned grind-first.
Key moments
- Scored a first-round TKO at 0:58.
- One of six career knockouts on the regional circuit.
- Kept his pre-UFC finishing run rolling.
WinKO/TKO
Opponent: Ryuta SakuraiR2 0:56
AFC 24 x HEAT 51
6 Apr 2023
6 Apr 2023
Ko knocked out Ryuta Sakurai early in the second round on a co-promoted AFC/HEAT card, another quick finish during his pre-UFC run through the Korean and Japanese scenes.
Key moments
- Finished Sakurai by knockout at 0:56 of round two.
- Extended his regional finishing streak.
- Fought on a co-promoted AFC x HEAT card.
30 Dec 2022
30 Dec 2021
15 Oct 2021
31 May 2021
17 Aug 2020
22 Feb 2020
17 Dec 2018
20 Oct 2018
16 Mar 2018
12 Jan 2018
The Read
Style, strengths, and where this fighter stands.
Ko is a takedown-heavy southpaw out of Seoul's HAVAS MMA, and despite the ironic 'Korean Tyson' nickname his UFC game is grind-first, not knockout-first. He averages four takedowns per fifteen minutes at 75% takedown defense, and both Octagon wins came from out-wrestling rangier strikers and banking control time rather than trading volume.
The record splits in two. The early run through Korean and Japanese promotions was full of knockouts — six of them, four inside the opening round — but after a 2021 stoppage loss he reeled off six straight, earning a Contender Series contract and back-to-back UFC decisions over Oban Elliott and Phil Rowe, both grind-first wins. That streak ended in Oklahoma City in July 2026: he led the first half against Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani but faded late and lost all three cards 29-28.