Erko Jun: “I Feel Like EMC Can Be Something Big In Germany and Europe”
With over one million Instagram followers, Erko Jun made the transition from the fitness modeling world to the MMA world almost seamlessly. With only about three years of MMA training to this point at UFC Gym in Germany, Jun has already taken the KSW heavyweight division by storm. 3-1 in KSW within two years, Jun will make his first appearance outside of KSW when he battles in Elite MMA Championship 5 on Saturday, September 05, 2020.
Pre-Fight Fame
Martial arts were always apart of Jun’s life, just not the main focal point. His father encouraged him to learn the arts as a way to protect himself. He started with Taekwondo then transitioned to kickboxing. After suffering a devastating leg injury at age 16, Jun was forced to find a new love. He did that in the form of fitness/bodybuilding. Just like any kid who grew up in that time frame, he loved the movies of Jean Claude Van Damme and Bruce Lee. Jun continued perfecting his art and growing his fume to the tune of 1 million-plus Instagram followers.
Transitioning to MMA Full-Time
Being friends with KSW welterweight champion, Roberto Soldic, Jun went to UFD Gym located in Dusseldorf, Germany to train. He was instantly hooked on the sport and began to train full-time for a transition to MMA. Of course, he was initially met with skepticism, many doubting the “fitness model” could compete with rugged and raw heavyweights of KSW. The gym “UFD Gym” is synonymous with MMA royalty in Europe. It’s equivalent to that of a gym like American Top Team in the United States. UFD Gym was founded by Ivan and Tomislav Dijakovic in 2013.
Successful Beginning to Career
3-1 may not sound impressive to many, but in the case of Jun, it’s an incredible start to a long career. With no amateur bouts, Jun took his MMA debut at KSW 44 in June 2018 where he knocked out Tomasz Oswiecinski in the first round. The run continued four months later in October 2018 where he knocked out the tough and aggressive Popek Monster, this time by second-round knockout. Jun’s first bout of 2019 showed the world he was not a fluke, earning his third straight knockout, this one a first-round knockout of Akop Szostak at KSW 49 in May 2019. His first taste of defeat came at KSW 51 in November 2019 where he main evented against veteran Mariusz Pudzianowski, losing by second-round knockout.
Jun probably learned more from the loss than all his wins put together. “Yes you can and that’s what I did. My biggest mistake was chasing the knockout and aiming for his head,” Jun said. “I guess I was also overwhelmed by the audience. If I had fought smarter it would be no loss that’s for sure.”
Back In Action For 2020
Erko Jun will have a chance to get back on track at EMC 5 in Dusseldorf, Germany. The event is this weekend on Saturday, September 05, 2020. “It’s crazy. 2020 is full of bad situations, to be honest, but in the end I’m happy I can have a goal and date again,” Jun told MyMMANews. “To be honest, COVID didn’t stop me from training. I actually improved my conditioning during this time and learned more about my body.”
His opponent on the night will be Polish fighter Damian Olszewski. Olszewski is 2-3, winning his first two bouts before hitting the skids in his last three. The event will also see fellow KSW heavyweight Satoshi Ishii battle Stuart Austin. The event will also host the semi-finals of a four-man welterweight grand prix tournament. The winners will face-off at a future EMC event for the welterweight title.
“First of all, I’m happy to work again, and second it’s nice to be apart of my manager and friends, Ivan Dijakovic’s, organization. I feel like EMC can be something big in Germany and Europe because Ivan has the right contacts and he has the trust of many fighters. I will be back in KSW cage soon as well, but now, I’m focusing on EMC,” Jun stated.
