Dong Hyun Kim
Active 2008–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 81.0
Scouting report
Top control, judo throws, and a spinning-elbow knockout of John Hathaway at the TUF China Finale made Dong Hyun "Stun Gun" Kim an early South Korean UFC standout. Hailing from Suwon, South Korea, Kim tallied 13 UFC victories with his "judo trip" grappling against the cage, his mat control captured by an 85 Wrestling rating, 80 BJJ, and 81 Overall score.
Peak ratings
By edition
Kim transitioned from a smothering grappler into a finisher between 2012 and 2013, scoring dominant decision wins over Paulo Thiago and Siyar Bahadurzada before knocking out Erick Silva at UFC Fight Night 29 in Barueri, Brazil. His judo throws, top control, and developing knockout striking are reflected in an 85 Wrestling and 76 Boxing.
In 2014 and 2015, Kim delivered a spinning back-elbow knockout of John Hathaway in Macau, stopped Dominic Waters with punches in round one in Seoul, South Korea, and submitted Josh Burkman with an arm-triangle in round three at UFC 187 in Las Vegas, with his only loss coming against Tyron Woodley. His judo trips, back control, and power strikes justify his 78 Boxing and 85 Wrestling ratings.
Kim defeated Tarec Saffiedine by split decision at UFC 207 in Las Vegas in December 2016 before losing a unanimous decision to rising contender Colby Covington in Singapore in June 2017. His grappling pressure, clinch trips, and durable ground control anchor his 77 Boxing and 80 Durability across these later appearances.
Dong Hyun Kim, the Stun Gun from South Korea
Dong Hyun Kim came out of judo and became a strong welterweight in the top promotion. He fought Carlos Condit in 2011 and lost by first-round knockout to a flying knee after an early takedown. His style relied on getting the fight to the floor and staying heavy on top. In a draft he is a strong, methodical pick who wins by control. He was never a flashy fighter and did not try to be. Fans of the division remember him as a quiet, deliberate presence who beat opponents by taking away their options. Against strikers who could not stop his entries he looked very hard to beat, and against those who could, he tended to slow the fight down anyway.
Kim, rating by rating
Boxing. Okay. He uses it to enter but does not rely on it.
Kickboxing. His weakest area. He rarely threw kicks or engaged at range.
Wrestling. His best skill. His judo gives him strong takedowns and heavy top control.
BJJ. Good. He can find a submission from top position.
Strength. Very good. He is strong in the clinch and heavy on top.
Durability. Solid. He took punches and kept going.
Cardio. Good. He kept a steady pace in fights.
Fight IQ. Good. He understood how to win with his strengths.
Wrestling is his best tool
On the peak card his wrestling is the top number, and it works well with his strength. In practice that means judo throws and heavy control that is difficult to escape. Pick him if you want a fighter who takes over the fight on the mat. The value of that is real in a draft. Judo throws do not show up on a highlight reel, but they decide rounds, and a strong top position also protects a lead. He fits a team that wants to win on points and does not mind a slow fight.
He struggles to strike at range: Kickboxing
Kickboxing is his lowest number. A good striker who can defend takedowns can pick him apart from the outside. He needs teammates who can cover the standup.
Keep exploring
Closest welterweight profiles to Dong Hyun Kim, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Rick Storybest wrestling 84 · weakest kickboxing 70
- Josh Koscheckbest wrestling 89 · weakest kickboxing 70
- Kelvin Gastelumbest boxing 86 · weakest kickboxing 74
- Mike Piercebest wrestling 83 · weakest kickboxing 68
- Welterweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Dong Hyun Kim's strongest attribute, Wrestling.
Draft Dong Hyun Kim into your build
Dong Hyun Kim enters the pool on any spin landing on welterweight between 2010 and 2017. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Dong Hyun Kim is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Dong Hyun Kim's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.