India's Chungreng Koren moved one step closer to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) by submitting Japan's previously unbeaten Ryuho Miyaguchi via rear-naked choke in the second round of their bantamweight quarterfinal bout at Road to UFC Season 5 in Macau on Thursday. Koren secured the finish at the 4:00 mark of Round 2 after a relentless performance that gradually broke down the Japanese fighter.
Fight Breakdown
The bout opened competitively, with Miyaguchi, who entered the contest unbeaten at 7-0, beginning to find rhythm early in the second round through a series of straight right hands. However, Koren responded by dropping Miyaguchi with a left hand before unleashing sustained pressure on the ground with strikes. Sensing the finish, Koren eventually transitioned to the back and locked in the rear-naked choke, forcing the Japanese fighter to tap out late in the round.
Overcoming Adversity
For Koren, the victory represented much more than progression into the semifinals of the UFC's Asia-Pacific talent pathway tournament. Just months ago, the fighter known as the 'Indian Rhino' was dealing with the fallout of the toughest period of his career. In 2025, Koren lost his Matrix Fight Night bantamweight title to Nepal's Rabindra Dhant, a defeat that pushed him into depression and forced him into a period of recalibration. Before that, he had already seen a Road to UFC opportunity collapse due to contractual obligations despite being close to entering the tournament.
This latest chance arrived unexpectedly too. Koren had initially only been named as the backup fighter for the bantamweight bracket before receiving a late call-up after South Korea's Shin You-min withdrew due to a knee injury. The short-notice nature of the fight made Thursday's performance even more significant. Koren accepted the bout with limited preparation time and still managed to stop one of the bracket's most technically polished contenders. The only blemish on the night came during Wednesday's weigh-ins, where Koren missed weight. Yet inside the cage, he delivered one of the standout moments of the opening round.
Looking Ahead
With the quarterfinal victory, Koren advances to the bantamweight semifinals of Road to UFC Season 5, where he is expected to face the winner of Ryo Tajima vs Ti Haitao fight. Meanwhile, on the other side of the bracket, Nepal's Rabindra Dhant also advanced after defeating Kimbert Alintozon via TKO (strikes) at 4:37 of Round 2. The result also keeps alive the possibility of a high-stakes rematch between Dhant and Koren later in the tournament, this time with a UFC contract potentially on the line.
