Tae Hyun Bang Sentenced To Ten Months In Jail For Throwing UFC Fight

The Korea Herald reports that Tae Hyun Bang has been sentenced to ten months in jail for his role in a fight-fixing scam. The Seoul Central District Court found Bang guilty of taking a bribe of 100 million yen ($92,160) from brokers in exchange for throwing a fight at a UFC event in South Korea in 2015. The fight in question was against fellow lightweight Leo Kuntz at UFC Fight Night 79, which Bang actually won by split decision. The three brokers who gave him the money were also sent to jail.

The court said: “The crime of match fixing damages the credibility of sport, and in international matches, it has a bad effect on the country’s credibility as well. Bang had an obligation to play the game fairly, but he ignored it and took an important role in the scheme. But we did take into consideration that Bang won the bout and returned the money afterwards.”

Bang agreed to lose the first two rounds against Kuntz on the November 28 event in Seoul. As noted, he changed his mind at the last second and won. He made that decision after UFC officials warned him due to a shift in betting patterns on gambling websites. He was listed as a slight favorite then hours before the fight the odds made him the underdog and Kuntz the huge favorite.

Bang is no longer fighting for the UFC. He last competed against Nick Hein at UFC Fight Night 93, which he lost by unanimous decision. He was the seventh South Korean ever to fight with UFC after signing in late 2013. He had two wins and three losses.