Denis Kang

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Denis Kang bigraphy, stories - Canadian martial artist

Denis Kang : biography

September 17, 1977 –

Denis Kang (born September 17, 1977) is a Canadian mixed martial artist of Korean and French descent. He was the PRIDE FC welterweight grand prix finalist in which he lost to Kazuo Misaki. Kang is a 2nd degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, originally trained and mentored by Marcus Soares. He holds notable victories over Minoru Suzuki, Pat Healy, Andrei Semenov, Mark Weir, Murilo Rua, Amar Suloev, Akihiro Gono, Marvin Eastman, and Xavier Foupa-Pokam.

Championships and Accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

  • PRIDE Fighting Championships
    • 2006 PRIDE Welterweight Grand Prix Runner-Up
  • Spirit MC
    • Spirit MC Heavyweight Championship (One time)
  • Ultimate Fighting Championship
    • Fight of the Night (One time)
  • ROAD FC
    • Fight of the Night (One time)

Submission grappling record

Result Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Notes Loss USA}} Andy Reese Points (Under 87.9 KG)

Personal life

Denis Kang was born in the French overseas collectivity of Saint Pierre & Miquelon to a Korean father and French mother.Deniskang.com. . Accessed 2008-05-29. He and his family relocated to the Canary Islands and finally North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1988 when he was 11 years old. Kang speaks fluent French and English, and is also said to be fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, which he learned via constant relocation.. He has two younger brothers, the youngest of which, Julien Kang, is an actor in South Korea.

On September 23, 2006, Kang’s fiancée, Shelby Walker, who was also a professional fighter, was found dead after an apparent overdose of pain medication. Kang had racked up a 23 fight unbeaten streak prior to his fiancée’s death, but has since won only 7 of 16 bouts.

Mixed martial arts record

|- |Loss |align=center|35–16–2 (2) | Melvin Manhoef |TKO (knee to the body) | Dream 18 | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:50 |Tokyo, Japan | |- |Win |align=center|35–15–2 (2) | Hae Suk Son |KO (punches) | Road FC 8: Bitter Rivals | |align=center|1 |align=center|N/A |Wonju, South Korea | |- |Loss |align=center|34–15–2 (2) | Shungo Oyama |TKO (knees) | Road FC 5: Night of Champions | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:30 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Loss |align=center|34–14–2 (2) | Seung Bae Whi |TKO (knees) | Road FC 3: Explosion | |align=center|2 |align=center|3:58 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Loss |align=center|34–13–2 (2) | Jesse Taylor |Submission (rear naked choke) | Battlefield Fight League 8: Island Beatdown | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:57 |Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada | |- |Win |align=center|34–12–2 (2) | Eun Soo Lee |Decision (unanimous) | Road FC 2: Alive | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Seoul, South Korea |Light Heavyweight bout |- | Draw |align=center|33–12–2 (2) | Paulo Filho |Draw (split) | Impact FC 2 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Sydney, Australia | |- |Win |align=center|33–12–1 (2) | Dae Won Kim |Submission (arm-triangle choke) | W-1: Judgment day | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:49 |Laval, Quebec | |- |Loss |align=center|32–12–1 (2) | Michael Bisping |TKO (knees to the body & punches) | UFC 105 | |align=center|2 |align=center|4:24 |Manchester, England |Fight of the Night |- |Win |align=center|32–11–1 (2) | Xavier Foupa-Pokam | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 97 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Montreal, Canada | |- |Loss |align=center|31–11–1 (2) | Alan Belcher | Submission (guillotine choke) |UFC 93: Franklin vs. Henderson | |align=center|2 |align=center|4:36 |Dublin, Ireland | |- |Win |align=center|31–10–1 (2) | Marvin Eastman | KO (punches) |Raw Combat: Redemption | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:48 |Calgary, Alberta, Canada | |- |Win |align=center|30–10–1 (2) | Kim Jae Young | KO (punches and stomp) | Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:13 |Seoul, South Korea |Defended the Spirit MC Heavyweight Championship |- |Loss |align=center|29–10–1 (2) | Gegard Mousasi | Submission (triangle choke) | DREAM.2 | |align=center|1 |align=center|3:10 |Saitama, Japan |DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix Opening Round |- |Loss |align=center|29–9–1 (2) | Yoshihiro Akiyama |KO (punches) |[Hero’s 2007 in Korea | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:45 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Win |align=center|29–8–1 (2) | Jung Gyu Choi |Decision (majority) |Spirit MC | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Seoul, South Korea |Won the Spirit MC Heavyweight Championship |- |Loss |align=center|28–8–1 (2) | Kazuo Misaki |Decision (split) |PRIDE Bushido 13 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Yokohama, Japan |PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix Final |- |Win |align=center|28–7–1 (2) | Akihiro Gono |Decision (unanimous) |PRIDE Bushido 13 | |align=center|2 |align=center|5:00 |Yokohama, Japan |PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix Semifinal |- |Win |align=center|27–7–1 (2) | Amar Suloev |Submission (one-arm strangle) |PRIDE Bushido 12 | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:10 |Nagoya, Japan |PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal |- |Win |align=center|26–7–1 (2) | Murilo Rua |KO (punches) |PRIDE Bushido 11 | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:15 |Saitama, Japan |PRIDE 2006 Welterweight Grand Prix Opening Round |- |Win |align=center|25–7–1 (2) | Albert Basconcelles |TKO (punches) |Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:12 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Win |align=center|24–7–1 (2) | Mark Weir |Submission (knees) |PRIDE Bushido 10 | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:55 |Tokyo, Japan | |- |Win |align=center|23–7–1 (2) | Ron Fields |Submission (rear-naked choke) |AFC 14 – Absolute Fighting Championships 14 | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:46 |Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | |- | NC |align=center|22–7–1 (2) | Robert Villegas |No Contest |Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:00 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Win |align=center|22–7–1 (1) | Andrei Semenov |Decision (unanimous) |PRIDE Bushido 8 | |align=center|2 |align=center|5:00 |Nagoya, Japan | |- |Win |align=center|21–7–1 (1) | Takahiro Oba |Submission (armbar) |PRIDE Bushido 6 | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:24 |Yokohama, Japan | |- |Win |align=center|20–7–1 (1) | Alexei Vezelozorov |Submission (choke) |M-1 Global | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:17 |Moscow, Russia | |- |Win |align=center|19–7–1 (1) | Jin Ho Yang |TKO (punches) |Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:49 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Win |align=center|18–7–1 (1) | Kim Jae Young |Submission (arm triangle choke) |Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:38 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Win |align=center|17–7–1 (1) | Junpei Hamada |Submission (armbar) |Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:35 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Win |align=center|16–7–1 (1) | Kobus Huisamen |TKO (punches) |Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:06 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Win |align=center|15–7–1 (1) | Hyun Chul Cho |Submission (rear naked choke) |Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:06 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Win |align=center|14–7–1 (1) | Hyung Jun Kim |TKO (punches) |Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:13 |Seoul, South Korea | |- |Win |align=center|13–7–1 (1) | Kim Jae Young |TKO (punches) |Spirit MC | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:38 |Seoul, South Korea | |- | Draw |align=center|12–7–1 (1) | Andrei Semenov |Draw |M-1 Global | |align=center|1 |align=center|10:00 |St. Petersburg, Russia | |- |Win |align=center|12–7 (1) | Stephan Potvin |TKO (punches) |TKO Major League MMA | |align=center|3 |align=center|2:22 |Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |- |Win |align=center|11–7 (1) | Kaipo Kalama |Decision (majority) |SB 30 – Collision Course | |align=center|3 |align=center|3:00 |Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |- |Win |align=center|10–7 (1) | Brendan Seguin |Submission (armbar) |SB 30 – Collision Course | |align=center|1 |align=center|2:24 |Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |- |Win |align=center|9–7 (1) | Keith Rockel |KO (punch) |USMMA 3 – Ring of Fury | |align=center|2 |align=center|2:59 |Boston, Massachusetts, United States | |- |Win |align=center|8–7 (1) | Chris Peak |Submission (rear naked choke) |WFF 4 – Civil War | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:57 |Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada | |- |Loss |align=center|7–7 (1) | Jason Miller |Submission (rear naked choke) |EC 50 – Extreme Challenge 50 | |align=center|2 |align=center|1:41 |Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |- |Loss |align=center|7–6 (1) | Joe Doerksen |Submission (triangle choke) |UCC 11 – The Next Level | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:49 |Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |- |Win |align=center|7–5 (1) | Pat Healy |Submission (guillotine choke) |RITR 7 – Rumble in the Ring 7 | |align=center|1 |align=center|3:42 |Auburn, Washington, United States | |- |Win |align=center|6–5 (1) | Shane Biever |Submission (armlock) |WFF 2 – World Freestyle Fighting 2 | |align=center|1 |align=center|3:03 |Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada | |- | NC |align=center|5–5 (1) | Dennis Hallman |No Contest |WFF 1 – World Freestyle Fighting 1 | |align=center|2 |align=center|3:15 |Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada |Hallman accidentally headbutted Kang & opened a cut above the eye |- |Loss |align=center|5–5 | Marty Armendarez |TKO (punches) |Pancrase | |align=center|3 |align=center|3:45 |Oroville, California, United States | |- |Loss |align=center|5–4 | Osami Shibuya |Submission (rear naked choke) |IFC WC 15 – Warriors Challenge 15 | |align=center|1 |align=center|3:52 |Tokyo, Japan | |- |Loss |align=center|5–3 | Keiichiro Yamamiya |Decision (majority) |Pancrase | |align=center|2 |align=center|3:00 |Tokyo, Japan | |- |Win |align=center|5–2 | Minoru Suzuki |Submission (back injury) |Pancrase | |align=center|1 |align=center|3:43 |Yokohama, Japan | |- |Win |align=center|4–2 | Lonnie Canida |TKO (punches) |WCT – Western Canada’s Toughest | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:06 |Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada | |- |Loss |align=center|3–2 | Joe Slick |Submission (arm triangle choke) |EC 24 – Extreme Challenge 24 | |align=center|1 |align=center|5:53 |Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |- |Loss |align=center|3–1 | Jacen Flynn |Submission (guillotine choke) |BRI 2 – Bas Rutten Invitational 2 | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:07 |Littleton, Colorado, USA | |- |Win |align=center|3–0 | Tom Bolger |Submission (triangle choke) |BRI 2 – Bas Rutten Invitational 2 | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:55 |Littleton, Colorado, USA | |- |Win |align=center|2–0 | Fadi Habib |TKO (punches) |UWC 2 – Ultimate Warrior Challenge 2 | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:53 |Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |- |Win |align=center|1–0 | Eric Harcrow |Submission (rear naked choke) |UWC – Ultimate Warrior Challenge | |align=center|1 |align=center|0:15 |Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |-